From Inuyasha to Naruto
by S. T. Nickolian
Summary: Kagome ends up in a different place than usual as she climbs out of the well, and is greeted by her kit only he has a different name. He calls himself Kyuubi now. Series of NarInuxover drabbleoneshots
1. Always Greet You

Always Greet You

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this.

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"Where… am I?" Kagome looked around as she climbed out of the well. She had been trying to get to the Feudal Era, but… the Goshimboku was no where to be found. "Inuyasha?" Her voice echoed back to her faintly, increasing the feeling of being alone. "Shippo?"

That brought a response, a spike in an aura somewhere nearby. She whirled around as she heard a voice call out to her. It sounded like Shippo, and yet it didn't. "Kagome!"

She glanced at the well before cautiously walking toward the voice. She came into a clearing to see foud people, all dressed in strange clothes, one of them surrounded by an angry red aura, but… that aura was familiar.

The oldest of the group, a man with lop-sided silver hair, was standing beside the blonde in the aura, calling out to him. The boy appeared to be in pain as he was holding his head and gritting his teeth. Another boy with black hair was trying to grab the other boy, as if to knock him out or to try to help, but the aura wasn't letting anyone close. The last one, a girl with pink hair, hung back in fear.

Kagome took a step back toward the trees, not sure if she should try to help or not. The aura choose for her.

It broke away from the boy and took the form of a small fox, running toward her. A faint sound filled the air, like laughter.

The group turned around to face her and their eyes widened in fear, as if they though the presence would try to harm her, but… Instead of tensing even more, or running away, Kagome relaxed as the familiar presence ran in circles around her before stopping and staring up at her. The miko saw a familiar blue-green tint in his eyes and stared in shock. "Shippo…"

"Heh heh… It's Kyuubi now." The voice she had heard earlier flowed through the air, not really coming from one definite place. Kagome fell to her knees and reached out a hand to touch him. He licked her hand and pressed his head into it.

The group stared in shock. The Kyuubi wasn't harming her. Shaking his head slightly as if to clear it, the silver-haired man cleared his throat, causing the woman in front of them to stand up abruptly and stare at them in fear. _What the hell? She's afraid of us, but not him?_ "I'm sorry, miss, but you'll have to come with us so you can explain this." The blonde was looking at her strangely, as if trying to see if she was real.

Before she could answer, her kit snarled protectively and seemed to grow slightly. "She'll do no such thing! I may have token a smaller form, but I'm still Kyuubi-no-Youko-no-Kitsune." Instinctively, Kagome sent out her aura to her kit to calm him. It worked and his raised hackles lowered and his voice softened. "I'll give you enough energy to pass through the well again, but you need to go quickly; I won't be able to sustain this form for long."

Some of the same red youki from earlier swirled around her as she kneeled back down. "What are you doing? You need to –" He was cut off by her wrapping her arms around him. Her kit sat in shock before pressing as close to her as he could. "Okaa-chan…" His voice was a broken whisper heard by everyone in the group watching them. All of their eyes widened in alarm.

After a few minutes, the whisper was heard again. "You should get going, Okaa-chan… If you don't Inuyasha will try to come get you, and having him on my but is the last thing I need…"

Kagome nodded and slowly let go so she could see that he already missed her terribly. "Ja ne, Shipp-… Kyuubi-kun." She gave him a bright yet sad smile before running away.

The minute she was out of sight, the Kyuubi's form began to waver and fade away. He gave a small cry and began to run after her, with the group behind him. They arrived in another clearing to see the girl jump into an old well. She saw them and smiled. "Remember, I'll always love you…"

Her voice faded away, leaving Kyuubi to set him front paws on the rim of the well and look in. "I know… I'll never forget, Okaa-chan…"

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Kagome lifted herself out of the well and looked around, grateful to see the familiar surrounding of the Feudal Era. "Kagome!" She turned her head to see a familiar kitsune running toward her. "I missed you!" A sense of déjà vu swept through her as his ran in small circles around her, just like she had seen him do no more than five minutes ago, then stopping and looking up at her with hopeful eyes. "Did you bring me anything?"

Without reason, she kneeled down and hugged him. He paused in worry and confusion before hugging her back. "Okaa-chan… what's wrong?"

Kagome smiled and pulled back. "I'm just happy that you'll always be here to greet me." The kitsune grinned up at her, even more so when she pulled out a box of pocky for him. Together, they began going to her friends to continue her journey. _I wonder… will I ever be able to go back there?...

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AN: Okay, this is the first of a series of oneshots/drabbles that I'll be posting. I'm not sure if I'll write another that would be like a sequel to this... It all depends on whether you guys want me to you not, so please review!


	2. Sealed With a Kiss

Sealed With a Kiss

Disclaimer: Do I _have_ to do this? It's makes me feel so useless. I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha. T.T

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"Eh!? Back _again, _Uchiha-san?" The girl shook her head in amazement. "Well, let's see what damage Naruto did now."

Sasuke snorted and turned his head away, not wanting her to see the irritated look in his eyes. Ever since he had come back from Orochimaru, not without a little prodding from Naruto, he would specifically ask for this medic whenever he was forced to come into the hospital. Now only was she an excellent medic, but she didn't hang on him like any of the others had done. In fact, she never actually touched him at all. Also, she was a good friend of Naruto's, so he trusted her, though he was a little suspicious of the fact that no one but Naruto could sense the chakre she used whenever she healed someone. When asked what if was like, the jinchuuriki could only describe it as pure.

"Alright, you know the drill, Uchiha-san; off with the shirt." Sasuke complied and lifted the torn shirt over his head so she could heal the cut across his chest. Another good thing about her was that she didn't try to engage him with mindless chatter, though she would talk to herself sometimes if she really got tired of silence.

Her hand hovered an inch above his skin and a soothing blue light flowed over the wound. The Uchiha relaxed as the skin wove itself together, leaving no trace that he had even been injured in the first place. "There, that'll do it, Uchiha-san; you can leave whenever you would like." She gave him a bright smile before turned away. She paused just at the door and seemed to groan.

Sasuke had just finished pulling the shirt back on and looked at her questioningly. The girl whirled around and ran behind him, her ebony hair swirling around him. Looking up at him with pleading sapphire eyes, she whispered quickly. "Please, I'm not here, you haven't seen me for ten minutes, _anything_ to get this guy away from me!"

Sasuke arched an eyebrow but nodded. No sooner had he turned around again when a brunette boy looked into the room. "Ah, there you are!" Sasuke could feel the girl behind him flinch. "I've been meaning to ask you if you wanted to go out to dinner tonight." The boy put on a bright smile, but there was something in his eyes that told the Uchiha that the boy was wanting more than just dinner.

Before she could respond, Sasuke put an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. "She and I already have plans." He leveled an Uchiha-patented glare at the boy and tightened his hold on her protectively.

Sasuke seethed when the boy seemed to dismiss him and turned back to the girl. "You shouldn't waste your beautiful time with him," an ugly smirk grew on his face. "After all, we wouldn't want him to taint you as Orochimaru has tainted him."

Sasuke scowled angrily at the boy, but before he could retort, the girl at his side began yelling at him. "How dare you!" Her blue eyes were blazing in anger. "Never judge someone until you get to know them especially in my presence!"

She would have continued on, but she found that her lips weren't able to move, courtesy of Sasuke's lips.

The Uchiha could feel the weak glare coming from the brunette, but that feeling was soon forgotten as she began to respond. Faintly, he heard Naruto dragging the boy away and closing the door, but he didn't care; she tasted nice.

Slowly, he pulled away to allow her to breath, smirking at her loss of breathe. She saw the smirk on his face and scowled playfully at him, which he stopped bit giving her a swift kiss. "Don't get mad at me for merely doing as you asked, Kagome."

Kagome blinked then smiled softly. "I never thought I'd live to see the day where you called me by my name, Uchiha-san… It makes you seem more like Itachi."

Sasuke tensed at the name and stared into her eyes with his own hard onyx ones. "You've met him?" The far away look in her eyes told him all he needed to know. Taking a shaky breathe to calm himself, he forced down his Sharingan. "Did he hurt you?"

Kagome blinked as if confused before she laughed. "No, he didn't hurt me, though Kisame wanted to, baka sonofafish." She shook her head. "Nah, they just wanted something I had." Placing her head over her color bone, where a chain lay, she smiled wistfully. "I still have it…"

Sasuke watched as she drifted away again, wonder what this slip of a girl could have that Itachi would want. He pushed that to the back of his mind, focusing on the fact that he had two people to protect from his brother now: Naruto for the Kyuubi, and now Kagome.

He looked down at her still far away expression and smirked. Bending down so his mouth was by her ear, he placed his hands on her arms lightly. "You know…" Kagome jolted slightly at the sound of his quiet voice so close to her and his hands running down her arms slowly. "Since we told the bakeru that we had plans, why don't you let me take you to dinner?"

Kagome could barely answer through the feeling of his breathe on her neck. A flash of two similar situations crossed her mind.

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"Do not mistake this Sesshomaru for Inuyasha again, Ka-go-me…" His voice came from by her ear as he held her wrists above her head with the arm she had recently regrown. She was pinned against a tree, eyes wide and mouth slightly open in shock. _The_ Sesshomaru was standing in front of her, holding her in what would be interpreted as an intimate position, but for some reason, that caused a kind of excitement to rush through her, and the way he said her name made her shudder.

"My apologies, Sesshomaru-sama, but, if I may ask, what would happen if I do mistake you for him unintentionally?" She heard a deep chuckle from him and smiled slightly. _He really should laugh more._

The brought his other hand to gently stroke her side, his actions contradicting his words. "Then this Sesshomaru would be forced to punish you accordingly."

Fighting the shiver that was trying to overcome her, Kagome smiled at their little game. "Okay, what if Rin-chan accidently called Inuyasha 'Sesshomaru,' what would you do?" The answer was immediate.

"This Sesshomaru would be forced to punish Inuyasha accordingly."

Kagome laughed at the statement, causing the taiyoukai beside her to join in quietly. "Alright, I get it, not can you let me go?" Sesshomaru pulled back slightly so he could look into her eyes as he said one word.

"No."

He dipped his head down and captured her lips with his.

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"If you just gave us what we wanted, he wouldn't try to attack you."

"Well, Sonofafish isn't getting it and neither are you." Her comment brought a chuckle from the man in front of her and she scowled. "The jewel is staying with me; I'm dead serious."

"I'm sure you are, Kagome-san." Itachi bent his head a little so that his lips were close to the skin of her neck. She was backed up to a wall and he had one hand on the wall beside her head, blocking any route of escape. "But I'm not in a serious mood right now."

"I can see that." Though her voice sounded the same as before, her eyes showed a spark of humor. When his lips descended onto her neck, her eyes closed and she let out a sigh, whether from irritation of not, she didn't know. "Won't Sonofafish be angry that you're 'seducing' your target?"

"Kisame will, if anything, be jealous." Kagome arched an eyebrow. When she asked him what he meant, he paused in his attention to the side of her neck. "You're more beautiful than you believe yourself to be."

Kagome sighed and let him continue though it reminded her so much of Sesshomaru that it hurt. She looked up at the stars and the sliver of the moon and smiled. _I hope you're happy somewhere and not missing me _too_ much… _A smirk overcame the smile and she had to bite back a laugh from alerting Itachi that she wasn't paying attention to him. _Fluffy.

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_

Kagome smiled. Sesshomaru was far away form her now, and Itachi was after her best friend; she might as well enjoy herself, though if Sesshomaru came back, she would probably leave in a heartbeat to see him. "I would like that… Sasuke."

The Uchiha smirked. "I'll meet you outside the hospital at 6:30," he said then sealed it with a kiss.

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AN: Wow... That was... not... bad, I guess, but how I got three of my favorite pairings in there, I will never know. I hope it was okay, so please tell me what you think.


	3. Letting My True Face Show

Letting My True Face Show

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha... I'm going to go cry over that now.

I feel the need to clarify that this is a collection of UNRELATED oneshots/drabbles, so none of them have anything to do with eachother unless I say they do, got it. Hopefully that helps any questions or anything.

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"Naruto!" The blonde jinchuuriki turned around and let and true smile grace his features. Running toward him was one of the few people he allowed himself to truly be himself around. A girl about his age with raven-black, long hair, bright sapphire eyes, and the only smile he had seen that made him want to smile back.

Sasuke rolled his eyes but smirked and continued walking down the road. "Have fun with your girlfriend, dope."

Naruto just nodded absently, not really processing what the Uchiha had said until he was already gone, and when he did… "Sasuke!"

Kagome ran up to him and began tugging at him arm. "Come on, I want to show you something." Smiling defeatedly, he allowed the young girl to pull him away to who know where.

He looked at the girl fondly as she dragged him through Konoha's streets. He and Sasuke had found her broken body at the bottom of a well when they were on their way back from a 'Rescue Sasuke' mission gone wrong. Naruto went to Oto to bring Sasuke back, but got caught by Akatsuki, and Sasuke went to save him, much to Orochimaru's chagrin. Between the tow of them, they had taken out most of the cult, but a few got away, including Itachi. When they found her, they took her back to Konoha, where all there were… well, actually none of them were welcomed back with open arms except by a few like Sakura, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the rest of the Rookie 9, their teachers and Team Gai.

Kagome had become a ray of sunshine for him and Sasuke, him more than Sasuke because the Uchiha had Sakura. At first, she had been really depressed, but she brightened up around the two of them, because she said that they reminded her of people she used to know. At one point, when he had been talking to Kyuubi through their mind link, he had seen Kagome looking around almost hopefully. When he asked the kitsune about it, Kyuubi and shut up and kept quiet for a long time after that.

"Wake up, Naruto!" He blinked and looked into her laughing sapphire eyes. "We're here." He looked around him and saw a garden. There was a spring that created a small waterfall down a rock face at the edge of the clearing, surrounded by flowers, some of which only Kyuubi had seen. "My adoptive son and I made this place a long time ago."

He looked at her in surprise and caught a glimpse of Konoha's outer wall behind them. _When did we leave Konoha?_ He saw her faraway, wistful look and couldn't help but ask. "Adoptive son?"

"Aa." Kagome's smile came back. "He was orphaned so I took him in, but I had no idea this place was still here." She turned to gaze up and him happily. "So now, even if we're separated, I still have a bit of him nearby."

Naruto smiled at her happiness, even as he felt Kyuubi crack. _Fox? Teme, what's the matter?_ He didn't get a response, worrying him a little. Deciding to ignore the baka kitsune inside of him, he turned back to the girl beside him. "Who was he?"

Kagome blinked then smiled. "Can you keep a secret?" When he nodded she sat down by the waterfall and let some of the water pool into her hand. "My adoptive son was a kitsune youkai. I found him after his parents were murdered and he followed me around after that." She laughed at her companion's shocked expression. "Hard to believe, I know, but I love him all the same."

Naruto was amazed that she would care about a youkai as her own, but he still smiled. _She really is special._ "What was his name?"

"Shippo."

The moment she said his name, a whirl of red chakre engulfed Naruto then swept around her comfortingly. "I missed you too, Okaa-chan."

The chakre left her and formed into a man about a head taller than either of them. Red hair about as long as Jiraiya's was up in a high ponytail and emerald eyes shone happily. He was dressed in an elegant kimono like what Kagome remembered Sesshomaru wearing and nine, smooth tails swept from side to side behind him. "Kyuubi-no-Youko-no-Kitsune-no-Shippo." He swept into a regal bow. "My true name was lost to the ages and I was in a blood rage when I attacked Konoha. I apologize for that."

Naruto was shocked, but for some reason, not scared. Maybe it was Shippo's eyes, that laughing green in stead of Kyuubi's murderous red. Kagome wasted no time in glomping her son, who just laughed then hugged her just as hard. "Okay…" The two of them turned to Naruto, who was scratching the back of him head. "You look too old to be her son now, so you can be her brother, but you might want to hide your tails."

Shippo grinned, showing off his elongated fangs. "Aw… I wanted to scare the villagers." Kagome hit him on the arm with a stern glare. "Alright." Heaving a sigh, the kitsune snapped his fingers to make his tails disappear. "Can we go back to Konoha now? I'm _hungry_.

Kagome and Naruto laughed and they began to go back. Naruto felt a huge weight lift off his chest as he watched the most feared bijuu dart around in curiosity. He didn't have to pretend to be happy anymore, he really was. His best friend was back, the fox was out of him, and he had a girl that seemed to only pay attention to him. Around the three of them, he would let his true face show.

"Oi, Gaki." Naruto looked to Shippo, who had a huge grin on his face. "I want a younger sibling soon."

Both humans turned beat read. "SHIPPO!" The fox just laughed and ran ahead of them and through the gate of Konoha with them chasing after him, fighting the blushes and the grins creeping onto their faces.

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AN: Heh heh heh... I like this one. It's funny. Please tell me your thoughts, and you can give me your thoughts! And, if you want, give me ideas for more drabbles! XD 


	4. Always Protect You

Always Protect You

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Naruto, sadly.

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Kagome watched with sad eyes as the blonde boy she had become friends with struggled to control the red chakre that seemed to engulf him. She wanted to help him with the pain, she _could_ help him, but something was stopping her. Fear. Not of the Kyuubi, him she could easily control, after all, he grew up listening to her. But it was fear of being revealed.

How would she explain her powers and skills when she had already told everyone that she had none? She watched in morbid fascination as the chakre overtook Naruto and Shippo took control. Red eyes blazed as they turned to her. A slight nod of the kitsune's head was all she was given before he started to obliterate the Sound nin surrounding them.

She and Naruto had been returning to Konoha when at least thirty Sound nin appeared. Apparently, Orochimaru was having some trouble wit Sasuke, and wanted Naruto as a hostage to force him to do stuff. They threatened Kagome to try to get him to come quietly, but it only served to enrage her son. Shippo had forced control from her friend and was in the process of killing those who wished her harm.

Less than three minutes later, the shadowy form of her Shippo, covered in blood strode over to her. "Baka-teme, all of them…" He plopped down beside her and nuzzled her leg, smearing a little blood on her pale skin. "And before you say anything, no I did not spend too much time around Inu-baka." Kagome smiled affectionately and scratched his head.

"I didn't say anything, Ship." The nine-tails rolled his eyes and leaned into her touch. "Though you could watch your mouth."

Shippo laughed and reached up to kiss her cheek. "I gotta go. See you later, Kaa-chan." Kagome nodded, smiling. As his chakre and control slipped away, Naruto's cerulean eyes faded from the red and closed. Kagome caught his bloody form, though she knew that none of the blood was his own, before it fell to the ground and kneeled down with his head in her lap. ANBU would be coming soon since they no doubt felt the huge amount of chakre that Shippo had given off.

"Kagome-chan…" She looked down at the blonde boy in her lap. "I'll… always protect you…"

"Shh… I know, Naruto-kun." She also knew that his protectiveness of her was definitely a side effect of her son. "Rest; I'm safe now." The boy fell back to unconsciousness with a smile on his face. _I'll have to tell Shippo to take it easy next time; it's already a lot of stress on his body._

ANBU arrived then, surveying the area and the damage. "Miss Higurashi, are you alright?"

Kagome lifted her head with a smile. "Un. Naruto promised to protect me."

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AN: A short little drabble. Fun. I hope you all enjoyed it, and please give me ideas for drabbles or oneshots, even if it's just a word you want me to focus on. It'll help. Thanks a lot! 


	5. Where You Are

Where You Are

Disclaimer: … This sucks. I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha. Sigh

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Kagome sat on top of a dune overlooking the cast desert of the Wind Country. Surrounding her was a sand as red as blood. A smirk flitted across her face. _It's fitting_. This was where she had first met and last seen _him_. Akasuna-no-Sasori.

The miko took up a handful of the sand and let the red grains sift through her fingers. It wasn't too long ago that she had come across Sasori's partner, Deidara, but he was with someone else.

* * *

"_Kagome-chan." The miko turned to see the blonde she had been introduced to once and gave him a smile, but he didn't return it. She looked around, expecting to see Sasori, but instead saw a black-haired boy with an orange and black mask covering his face. "Tobi, go ahead and don't cause any trouble; I'll catch up shortly, un."_

"_Ok; Tobi is a good boy. Don't take too long, Deidara-sempai!" The other Akatsuki ran past her, leaving her alone with the blonde and confused._

"_Dei-kun? What's wro-?" The blonde was suddenly in front of her with his arms around her. "D-Deidara!?"_

"_Shh… He's dead, Kagome-chan; Sasori-donno was killed, un." The miko froze and her eyes widened. She began shaking, not wanting to believe what he had told her. "He wanted you to know that he's sorry he couldn't help you get back home, un."_

_Kagome wrapped her arms around her friend and let her tears fall. "He doesn't want you to be too sad; just don't forget him, un." A sob shook her body and he tightened his hold on her. "I know… It's hard for me to, un…"

* * *

_

Kagome sighed and lied back on the red sand. Sasori had found her wandering around in the desert, bloody and beaten. He had taken her in and taken care of her. He had been pleasantly surprised when she hadn't been repulsed by the fact that he was a puppet.

A smile graced her lips as she though about the redhead. She had grown… attached to the puppeteer, and looked forward to every meeting they had. He had also promised to try to help her find a way back home, since she had been transported there after the battle for the Shikon.

She heard a small scuttling and turned her head to see a small scorpion running across the sad. He had introduced her to Dei not long after their first meeting, and she was forced to endure their 'conversations' about 'art.' She laughed a little at the memory and turned to face the sky. He wouldn't want her to give up trying to get home, and she was certain that he had told Dei to watch over her.

"Don't worry, Sasori-sama; I'll be fine." She smiled brightly at the sky, know he was probably watching her. "One day, I'll join you where you are."

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AN: Drabble! XD I liked this one, even if it was really short. Thank you all for reading, and please review to tell me your thoughts and give me a word or two to give me ideas for more!


	6. Reluctant Deception

Reluctant Deception

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or the Akatsuki.

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"No fair, Dei-kun!" Kagome pouted from her place on the ground with a grinning blonde above her. "You know that you're stronger than me!" 

"That's why it's so much fun to pin you down, un." Deidara stood up, careful not to step on her and help out a hand to help her up. Kagome smiled and took her hand, jumping slightly when she felt the mouth in his open palm.

"Must you always tease our little miko, Deidara?" The usually indifferent voice of the Uchiha was colored with a hint of amusement as he approached them. "Surely you know that _that_ is _my_ job."

Kagome pouted and crossed her arms over her chest in a huff. "You two can be so mean."

"But you love us anyway, un." Deidara commented, reveling in her blush just as he was sure that Itachi was.

"Ne, Kagome-chan…" He paused when she looked at him with her blue and eyes and heard Itachi chuckled at his lapse in concentration. "Why did you insist on help me and Itachi-san find the Kyuubi and the Nibi, un?"

The miko that had taken to following them around blinked then smiled. "Let's just say that we're already acquainted." She just shrugged at their curious gazes and looked at that sun setting in the West with a wistful look. "For a while is was just the three of us and Gobi…"

The two Akatsuki members stared at her in disbelief, but this was the most she had talked about her past, so they didn't say anything. "Did you know that Gobi, though he only has five tails, is actually stronger than the Kyuubi?"

"That shouldn't be right, un." Deidara's brow furrowed in confusion. "Gobi can't be the strongest, un."

"Then why haven't you found him yet?" The miko gave them an 'I know something you don't know' smile and turned back to the West, as if hoping something would come out of the sun. "You remind me a lot of him, Itachi-san."

They watched her with fascination. She seemed to always throw new facts about the bijuu at them that would throw them off… Perhaps that was why they liked her.

Deidara saw Sasori waiting for him and sighed. He walked over to the puppet-user and left, but not before giving Kagome a kiss on the cheek good-bye.

Itachi left shortly after, though his good-bye was a little more intimate… and possessive. _Like Sesshomaru…_

Kagome sat down and watched the sun disappear, reminding her of her companions. _Kirara… Shippo… Sesshomaru…_ She would get them back, that was why she was here; she was waiting for them to come so she could unseal them. She would end up, reluctantly, betraying her friends/lovers, but she would gain her son, her guardian, and her love back.

Kagome sighed. She had disappeared on them one day and ended up in this place, where apparently all the demons went at some point in time, that's why there weren't any in her time. She had discovered that Shippo was now called the Kyuubi, Kirara the Nibi, and Sesshomaru the Gobi, all demons of incredible power, and two of them were sealed inside vessels called jinchuuriki. Sesshomaru had seemingly disappeared for a while. _He'll come back once he hears that I'm around._ Her thought caused her to smile into the West, where he had ruled and believed that she belonged.

The miko missed them, and she was certain that she didn't want to harm their vessels, but she had to get them back… they were her only family now. She would probably have to wait a while, but that didn't mean she couldn't have some fun in the mean time. Itachi and Dei made good playmates.

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AN: I was honestly not sure if I should post this one or not, but meh. I'll just post it and hope you guys like it. If you do YAY! If not, oh well. I hope you guys all like this one. Thanks for reading, and please review! 


	7. Matchmaker

Matchmaker

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, though my brother and I wish we did.

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Kagome had to hold in a giggle as she saw Naruto and Hinata holding hands… blushing like there was no tomorrow. Ever since she had come to Konoha, bloody and broken through the well, (which had stubbornly refused to allow her to pass afterwards,) she had taken it upon herself to get the two of them together… among many others.

Among the Rookie 9 and Team Gai, she had become known as the Matchmaker because she had gotten nearly all of them into a relationship. Shikamaru was with Temari, Ino was with Chouji, Sasuke was with Sakura, Naruto with Hinata, Lee and Tenten, Kiba with another Inuzuka girl, but Neji and Shino weren't currently interested in a relationship, and she couldn't find anyone that was willing to try to be with Gai. She had even gotten Kurenai with Asuma, and Anko with Kakashi.

Through it all, though, she wasn't in a relationship of her own, which greatly disturbed the girls. So they had gotten together several times to try to get her hooked up with someone, but had failed over and over.

Kagome watched the various couples with pride. Shikamaru and Temari were engages and the wedding was planned for the next week. Kagome turned to Ino who was bugging Chouji about the catering for the wedding, while he reminded her that she had yet to do the flower arrangements. They were doing well together, and Chouji had confided that he was going to propose at the wedding.

A flash of pink and black caught her eyes and she turned with a grin; those two had been hard to get hooked up, mostly because the of Uchiha's pride. Apparently, Sasuke had done something that almost set off Sakura, but before she could blow up on him, he pulled her into a kiss. When he pulled away, Kagome saw the smug smirk on his face and the blush darkening Sakura's.

"You got them together, and they're happy…" The miko jumped and looked up to see Neji standing beside her, his face emotionless as usual, but it reminded her of Sesshomaru, so she didn't mind. "Though I think you could've found someone better for my cousin."

Kagome laughed. "I couldn't think of anyone else that wasn't already taken that she would've been happy with, so you can deal with it." She stuck her tongue out at him when he scowled. "Not all I have to do is get _you_ a girl."

The Hyuuga scoffed and looked away. "Who is taking you to the wedding?" HE saw her blink then shrug from the corner of his eyes before she turned to him with a sly grin.

"Why? Are you offering, Neji-san?" He gave a noncommittal 'hn' and turned his head away. Her laughter rang through his head as she began to walk away. "Think on it, Neji-san, but you might want to be quick about it; you never know if someone else is going to ask me first."

Neji watched her walk away. _Hn, as if anyone would ask _her_ to the wedding; she's too… too…_ A wind picked up and swirled around her, making her hair float and making he look like an angel. Neji sighed and began to walk after her.

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AN: Ha ha! Neji fell for her. XP I liked writing this one, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Thank you for reading, and please leave me review!


	8. A Way with Dogs

A Way with Dogs

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha… In fact, I don't even know how I would be able to bear all the responsibilities of owning two of the most popular anime I've ever seen…

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"Akamaru!" Kiba ran after the dog, trying to catch up with his partner after Akamaru had suddenly bolted during a training session with Hinata. "Come back here, boy!" The canine didn't stop but kept running toward Konoha's gates, making the Inuzuka even more confused. "Akamaru!"

The chuunin guards watched the jounin and his partner run past them and into the surrounding forest. "Where are _they_ going in such a hurry?" The other guard just shrugged and tried to settle back into his nap.

"Akamaru?" He saw the dog slow down and crouch at the edge of a clearing. "What's wrong, boy?" he asked when he came up beside the large white dog. He looked into the clearing when he heard his partner whine softly. His breathe caught as the sunlight fell onto the figure in the clearing.

There was a girl sitting at the base of an old well. Her black hair cascaded down her back and over her shoulders in graceful waves. The dots of sunlight falling through the trees danced across her milky skin and long lashes veiled her eyes. Kiba was so focused on her that he didn't see or feel Akamaru begin to approach her until the dog was about to lick her face.

"Akamaru!" His harsh whisper died and was forgotten as the girl opened her eyes revealing stunning electric blue orbs. She looked to the dog looming over her and smiled, reaching out a hand for him to sniff.

"Who are you?" Her melodic voice drifted over the clearing causing Kiba to wonder if one could fall love with just a voice. "Is your partner nearby?" Akamaru turned his head to Kiba and yipped, asking him to come out and telling him that he liked this girl.

The jounin cautiously entered the clearing, watching as the girl played with Akamaru's fur. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" He may not be as eloquent as Neji or Sasuke, but his questions did get the job done.

"Higurashi Kagome and you?" Kagome gave him a kind smile as she waited, making him fell more calm and relaxed than he probably should have.

"Inuzuka Kiba."

Kagome's smile widened. "It's a pleasure to meet you. As for your second question, I can't answer that." She held up a hand to stop his protest. "It's not that I know the answer but was ordered not to tell you or anything like that," Kiba's mouth snapped shut. "It's that I don't know the answer myself, so I can't tell you." She sent him an apologetic smile before turning to rub Akamaru's tummy.

Kiba watched his partner with amusement as the canine played with the strange girl. "How did you get him to be so playful so quickly? It usually takes months for him to allow someone new to touch his stomach."

A flash of a white inuhanyou and a silver inuyoukai passed in front of her eyes and she looked up to Kiba with a smile though there were tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I guess I just have a way with dogs."

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AN: I liked writing this one. 


	9. Another Chance

Another Chance

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, sadly.

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"Naru-chan?" A black-haired girl slipped her head through the hospital door to look into the room. "Are you awake?" There was no reply, but she could see that his cerulean eyes were open. They were open, but seemed to be dead.

She walked in to the room and quietly shut the door behind her. She walked over the bed and sat on the edge. "Hey, don't look so upset." Naruto's eyes turned to her slightly and she could barely see the whisker marks on his face through the bandages that covered him. His eyes were still dead.

She reached out a hand and traced his cheek, trying to provide some measure of comfort to him. She understood how he was feeling and knew that if he spent too much time wallowing in his self-pity, he would end up like she had before he had come into her life. Now, it was her turn to return the favor.

"You have to understand, Naru-chan, that there was nothing you could have done." She pushed a few strands from his bangs out of his face and looked back into the lifeless orbs. "He chose to leave; you don't have control over him, even if it would be better if you did."

"I promised to bring him back…" Naruto's voice was soft and broken, making Kagome reach over to him and wrap her arms around him comfortingly. They were talking of course of their recent friend turned traitor, Uchiha Sasuke. Kagome looked at both him and Naruto as her little brothers because of how they acted. Naruto reminded her very much of her adoptive son, Shippo, and Sasuke reminded her of her old lover, Sesshomaru. Due to this, she would always take care of them, but it seemed that Sasuke had grown tired of her care, breaking her heart once more.

Though she was broken in her mind, she would not Naruto to blame himself for it. "There will be other chances to bring him back; don't beat yourself up so much over just one attempt." She stroked his head and looked out the window at the rain. "He is just confused; he doesn't know how you changed so much and he fears that. He fears not being in control and you getting stronger is beyond his control, and the curse seal alters his mind."

"So… it's still my fault… my fault that he's insecure…"

"NO!" Kagome pulled back to look him in the eye. "You are _not_ at fault here; if anyone is to blame, it's Itachi for causing the fear to start in the first place." Naruto tried to look away from her piercing electric blue eyes, but she pushed his head back to face her. "This isn't your fault, Otouto… _never_ believe otherwise."

Naruto's eyes widened and a small spark of life filled them as she called him little brother. Her eyes softened and she pulled his head back to rest on her chest as she had done with Shippo whenever he was upset. "It's okay, Naru-chan, it's okay… There's always another chance… We'll bring him back, you have my word."

"B-but… I promised Sakura-chan…"

Kagome stroked his hair again and laid her head on top of his. "Sh… You don't have to do it alone: I'll always be here to help you." Naruto slowly brought an arm up to wrap around her waist as he let a small smile cross his features. Kagome laid a soft kiss on his head. "I'll always be here for you and Sasuke… we just have to make him face his fear in the right way."

Naruto nodded into her chest. "We'll bring him back together if not next time, the time after that, believe it." Kagome chuckled at his catch phrase and nodded.

"Aa, there will always be another chance."

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AN: Drabble! XD I enjoyed writing this one, though it was a little hard. Thank you all for reading, and please leave me a review!


	10. Temporary Truce

Temporary Truce

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, ain't it depressingly sad?

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"Kakashi! Get your butt back here this instant!" The silver-haired genin ran through Konoha's streets in a terrified sprint. Having Rin trying to date him was bad enough, but having her cousin chasing him in a fury was worse; Kagome was _scary!_

Soon, he was joined in running by his other teammate and rival, Uchiha Obito. "Baka! What did you do now and how did you draw _me_ into it?!" the Hatake demanded in, for once, a tone that wasn't indifferent or superior.

The ebony-eyed, black-haired boy looked at him angrily. "Me?! What makes you think _I_ did this?! If I remember correctly, she started chasing _you_ before she started chasing _me_!" Hearing a crash and a string of curses from somewhere behind them, the two sped up, trying to run from the crazed girl. "Look, I don't like you and you don't like me, but let's call it a truce until we get away from her; what do you say, teme?"

Kakashi glared lightly at the Uchiha but finally nodded when another shouted curse was heard. "Fine, truce; now let's find a way to get her off out tails!" Obito nodded and the two ran faster, each thinking of possible ploys that would at least calm the girl.

Up in a tree, watching them run, Kagome smirked. _Mission: Stop idiot boys from fighting. Status: Complete. Mission: Keep it that way. Status: In progress._ A laugh broke from her throat, causing her prey to try to speed up, again.

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Kakashi watched Sasuke and Naruto squabble with a sigh. It had been years since he had thought of his former teammate's cousin, but seeing these two fight so much brought back the memories of how she would make him and Obito stop and made him wish for the old days again.

Kagome had continued to bother him long after Obito's death, if only to make sure that he wasn't wallowing in self-pity and hate too much. Then, when Rin 'left,' so did she. Kagome just up and left the village and seemed to disappear into thin air.

"Kakashi-sensei!" The whiny tone of his female student's voice brought him back to reality. "Can't you do anything to make Naruto stop?" The jounin barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes at how Sakura blamed Naruto when it was clearly Sasuke who had started this fight.

Instead, he gave her an eye smile and pretended to go back to his book. "Sorry, Sakura, but I can't do anything."

A chuckle came from the edge of the clearing Team 7 was currently in. "Still as lazy as ever I see, Kakashi." They whirled toward the voice to see a raven-haired girl leaning against a tree, sapphire eyes laughing happily. "I hope I won't have to make them stop fighting the way I did with you and Obito."

Kakashi shuddered. "If you do, I pity them." Her laughter flowed through the clearing like music, amazing all the occupants. Kakashi tilted his head to the sad slightly. _I don't remember her voice and laugh being so… nice… Of course, that might be because she was always driving me to near insanity._ Though his thoughts were harsh, there was a content smile on his face.

"Oh, where are my manners?" She turned to the three genin and bowed. "I am Higurashi Kagome; I'm an old acquaintance of Kakashi's." The genin bowed, well… Sakura did. Sasuke turned his head to the side with a 'hn' and Naruto began yelling about how he would be Hokage someday, 'Believe it!'

Shortly after, Kakashi sent his students to go climb more trees to build their chakre capacities and turned to his visitor. Kagome was gazing off in the direction his students had gone with a wistful smile. "They remind me of your old team… It's hard to believe that you've changed so much."

Kakashi watched her then gave her a cautious smile. "You're not here to torture me again, are you?"

Kagome laughed again and faced his with a bright smile that seemed to make her whole being glow with happiness. "I prefer to think of it as… only a temporary truce, since I'm going to start annoying you again very soon." The smile on her face made him shudder in fear and slight excitement. At least he wouldn't be bored for a while.

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AN: Heh heh... Poor Kakashi. I hope you enjoyed reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it, which was a lot. Thanks for reading and please leave me a review!


	11. Always Be With You

Always Be With You: Sequel to _Always Greet You_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Kyuubi, Sasuke, or any of them, nor do I own Kagome or any of them, so sad.

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"Kakashi-sensei! _Kakashi-sensei!_" Naruto and Sasuke followed their teacher toward Sakura's urgent cry, worry for their teammate apparent in their eyes if no where else. It had been a year since the Kyuubi had temporarily broken free and defended that strange girl who jumped into the well, and they were in approximately the same area. Naruto had told them that since then, Kyuubi had calmed down and was _civil_ if not friendly to him, which was a big turn-around from his former disposition toward his vessel. 

They ran into the clearing where the pink-haired kunoichi stood, stiff as a board. "Sakura, what's wrong?" All she did was point to the well in the middle of the clearing, the same one that the girl had disappeared into. They turned their heads and their eyes widened in shock and slight fear.

The girl that Kyuubi had claimed was his mother sat leaning against the well, covered in blood and out cold.

Naruto dashed over and checked her pulse, praying that she was still alive, or else Kyuubi would no doubt go on a killing spree. With a sigh of relief, he proclaimed that she was alive, but needed help, fast. Kakashi ordered him to pick the girl up carefully and they ran toward Konoha. _**Is she alright, kit?**_

Naruto smiled slightly at Kyuubi's voice in his mind. The nine-tails had shown him several memories of the girl in his arms so he could understand why he was worried. _Aa; she's fine and we're going to take her to Tsunade-baa-chan, so she'll be healed up in no time._ He felt a wave of relief from the bijuu and his smile grew.

They ran through Konoha's gates and went straight to the Hokage Tower. "Tsunade-baa-chan! Help!" The Godaime jolted upright from her 'working' coughsleepingcough position and stood, thinking that he was seriously injured. When the blonde and his team burst into her office, unharmed, she was about to pound the boy, until she saw the bloody form in his arms.

She quickly cleared her desk and motioned him to place her there. "How did this happen?"

Before the others could respond that they didn't know, Naruto allowed Kyuubi to take his small fox form freely. "Final battle for the Shikon, or the aftermath of it, anyway." Sakura jumped and hid behind Sasuke, who gave her an annoyed glare. "The battle itself was a lot easier than all of us expected, but… we were betrayed by the one we trusted most." The fox jumped onto the desk, causing Tsunade to look at him anxiously, but she didn't stop healing the girl.

Sasuke blinked. _Well, that sounds familiar._

Kyuubi sat beside her head, looking down at her sadly. "She trusted him more than anyone else, and he betrayed her by killing our human companions, trying to kill Nibi and me, and, as you can see, nearly killing her. If is weren't for Gobi, all of us would have died and the traitor would probably be ruling the world by now."

"You… could've warned her, last time…" Sakura's quiet voice made its way from behind her unwilling guardian. "Why didn't you?"

"It had to happen." His indifferent, cold voice sent shivers down everyone's but Naruto's spines. "Believe me, it wasn't easy, letting her go back where I knew she would get hurt, but I couldn't have kept her here when she still had work to do."

"Thanks, Ship." Everyone jumped and looked down at the girl, who, thanks to Tsunade's awesome powers, was nearly healed. She opened her blue eyes to smile sadly at him. "It hurts to know what he did, but I'm glad you didn't try to stop me."

Kyuubi seemed to smile and nuzzled her hair. "You can thank me once you've completely healed." Kagome laughed and lifted a hand to stroke his head. "After that, you aren't leaving my sight." Those gathered chuckled at her pout, but most couldn't help but agree with him. There was just something about her that made them feel the need to protect her.

Kagome smiled and scratched his ears. "Don't worry, I'll always be with you."

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AN: Okay, there's the sequel to my first one, since someone asked for it. I hope you all like it, and Inu-baka fans, I'm sorry, but he had to do it for the plot. Thank you all for reading, and please review! 


	12. Rain

Rain

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

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The rain fell around a black-haired girl in a gentle stream. She looked up and smiled faintly at the dark sky. She spread her arms and began spinning around slowly. Her silver-haired, masked companion sat beneath a tree off to the side what her with a small smile, not that she could see it. "You'll catch a cold if you stay out there too long, Kagome."

The girl stuck her tongue out at him and continued her small dance. "No I won't; you won't let me." Her companion gave a small snort but didn't deny her claim. "Come one, Kakashi; have a little fun!" She bounded over to him and bent down to look into his eyes.

The ANBU arched an eyebrow and allowed a smirk grace his masked features. "Allowing myself to get sick isn't my idea of fun. I'm quite happy to sit here and watch you, thank you." He leaved back and let his smirk widen when she pouted like a child. He closed his eyes, only to snap them open again when there was a splash and he felt water flow over him.

Kakashi glared at Kagome who was doing a poor job of looking innocent. He allowed his eyes to gaze over her, noticing how her ANBU uniform clung to her even more than usually did with the rain. His annoyed, mismatched eyes came back to her face and noticed the pink beginning to stain her cheeks. _Either she's starting to come down with something, or she's blushing._

Kakashi stood up slowly, working out any kinks that may have lodged themselves in his muscles before giving his best friend a look that said, 'I'm it. Run.' She squealed a little then turned to run away, giggling. It had been a long time since she was able to play, and who better to play with than your partner and best friend?

Kakashi ran after her smiling a little. Ever since she had appeared in Konoha, Kagome had been a bright spot in his otherwise dull life since Rin and Obito died. She was an excellent fighter, but when anyone told her so, she would blush and say that her teacher was a perfectionist, though that was all she was willing to divulge about her past.

He paused for a moment when she disappeared and looked around for her, but he was splashed again from above before she jumped from the tree she had been in and ran again, beginning the chase again. Also since she had come into his life, she had a strange obsession with the rain. She always had to go out into it at least once when it rained and just stand there if nothing else. It was something that he would never understand, but accepted nonetheless.

He finally lunged at her and sent the both of them tumbling and laughing. If anyone passed by and saw them, they would never have guessed that they were two of Konoha's best. When they finally came to a stop, Kagome was on top of him, laughing still. "Ha! You attacked me and _I'm_ the one to end up on top; beat that!"

She had a lot of spirit, and that was what attracted many of the men in Konoha to her. Of course, they had to go through her best friend, who just happened to be Konoha's famous Copy-nin, in order to try to get close to her. Needless to say, no one ever did. Kakashi smirked and easily flipped them over. "Now who's on top?"

Kagome pouted and Kakashi could only suppress the urge to kiss her for a moment before he gave in. His mask had fallen off while they were rolling across the ground, so he had nothing to remove before he covered her lips with his own for a gentle kiss that could be considered as either a friendly or romantic kiss. It depended on her. He was surprised, but not disappointed when she tentatively began to respond and he eagerly encouraged it.

After a few moments, they broke apart and Kakashi smiled fondly at the blushing girl below him. "Let's go, before we _both_ get sick from the rain…" Kagome smiled back and let him help her up. Within a minute, they were running through the trees toward Konoha.

They didn't talk, they didn't need to. They just let each other's company soothe them. The Copy-nin allowed a smile to grace his once again masked features. Maybe Kagome was right… There was something about the rain that seemed to cleanse him. He felt lighter than he had since before his team died.

_Yes, there is definitely something about the rain, or…_ He stole a glance at the calm ANBU with him. _Maybe it's just the company._

_

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AN: Yay! More KakashiKag:P I'm sorry that I haven't updated in forever, and I would have given you a longer oneshot, but I'm being pressed for time, so please bare with me; I'll give you a REAL oneshot once I get the internet back for a longer period of time. Thank you all for reading and please review! Also, if there's a short synario that you want me to write, leave it in a review!


	13. Boy Before Demon

Boy before Demon

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Naruto.

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Kagome watched the six year old blonde train with a smile on her face. He tried so hard to become stronger, to prove to the people of the stupid village that he was more than the demon they believed him to be. Her smile widened when he finally got the jutsu he had been working on right and he did a little victory dance. _He _is_ so much more… they just can't see it._

She jumped down from the tree she had been hiding in and watched him tense and turn to her warily. _Stupid villagers… If I ever meet the one that made a child like him so distrustful, I'm going to shake his hand for the accomplishment then I'm going to purify his ass._

She put on a kind smile and crouched down so she would be about his height if he was closer to her. "Hey, you're name is Naruto, right?" He gave her a shaky nod and her smile softened a little. "I saw you do that jutsu just now, and I wanted to tell you that you did a good job, but I know of a way that will make it better. Do you want me to show you?"

The blonde nodded enthusiastically, but Kagome could see that he was still wary of her and his eyes were still guarded. _Well, I probably would be, too, if I had to go through what he did… He's stronger than anyone gives him credit for. _"Alright, now just watch me then copy what I do."

He did as she asked several times and, eventually, she was right beside him, correcting little things that he did wrong and that took away from the effect of the jutsu. When he finally did it perfectly, he turned and beamed up at her happily while hugging her legs. "I did it! I did it!"

The black-haired girl laughed and hugged him back. "That great, now why don't we celebrate with some dinner? Where do you want to go?" His eyes lit up even more and he began dragging her from the training ground and back into the village, chanting something about ramen all the way. _Just my luck: He has Shippo's energy and Inuyasha's obsession with ramen._

The miko ignored all of the stares that she received as they walked through the streets and just watched Naruto fondly. She had gotten enough stares in the Sengoku Jidai for similar reasons, (walking around with demons attracts a lot of attention,) that she no longer cared about them. Naruto took her to a ramen stand that she had seen was quite popular.

The waitress and her father, the chef, smiled warmly at the boy, but seemed a little cautious of her, but that made her smile. It showed that they cared about him.

Naruto sat down and ordered miso ramen and Kagome whispered to the waitress that she would take care of the bill. _Ayame, huh?... I wonder how the Ayame that I know and Kouga are doing…_

She turned to Naruto with a smile and let him tell her all about the pranks that he has pulled and what he had learned in the academy. He really did remind her of her adoptive son in the Sengoku Jidai; always hyper about something.

"Well, it looks like the _demon_ came back." The miko noticed the fear flood Naruto's eyes as they heard the sneer. She turned slightly and gazed at the group of obviously drunken shinobi, all of them only chuunin level. "Didn't we teach you not to come here again?"

Kagome glanced at the trembling boy and the worried waitress. These jerks had apparently harassed her new friend before, and most likely they had contributed to Naruto's wariness of people. She turned around entirely and glared at them. "I suggest that you leave us alone."

They looked her over and the 'leader' gave her a smirk. "What is a pretty little gal like you doing with an ugly demon like him?" Naruto flinched and seemed to expect her to leave him, but she stayed put. "I'm sure that we could give you a much more… _fun_ time than him."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the poor attempt to be seductive, feeling disgusted. _If I had wanted _that_, I would have sought out Sesshomaru the moment I learned that demons still existed here._

He reached out to grab her, but she snagged his wrist and twisted it to the side and down. "I'm quite where happy where I am, thank you. Now…" She allowed her eyes to glow with her purification powers and burned his arm where she held his wrist. "Leave us alone."

She shoved him away and into his lackeys. The drunkards fell over and Kagome paid for the meals. Giving him a kind smile, the miko held out her hand to Naruto. "Come on; I'll walk you home."

The jinchuuriki looked up at her with wide eyes and tentatively slipped his hand into hers. She smiled a little more and led him out of the stand. "If you like, you can spend the night at my apartment." Kagome had come to Konoha a couple of months ago and she made her money by doing several odd-jobs. She had an apartment in the more run-down side of the village, but it was better than the streets she knew her companion slept in.

Naruto looked up at her in renewed awe and happiness and nodded slowly. Kagome smiled and gently led him away. She was probably the only one besides the Sandaime to see him as something more than a monster. "Anou… Kagome-chan? Why are you so nice to me?"

She smiled softly and shifted his position to keep him from being hit by a passerby. "Because I hate seeing someone as promising as you being treated so badly." She smiled more brightly down at him. "And because I can see that you aren't a demon, jut a boy who can aspire to anything he wants. I'm sure you'll be a great Hokage one day."

Naruto stared at her in awe and grinned. "Okay! I'll be Hokage and everyone will see me for me! Believe it!" Kagome laughed and assured him that she would always be there to support him while taking him into an apartment building.

"Here we are!" Naruto stared at the clean rooms in awe and immediately began exploring. Kagome laughed. _Now _that_ is the nature of a six year old._ "You can come here whenever you like; even if I'm not home, there is a key in the kitsune mask on my door."

Naruto ran over to her and hugged her legs hard, grinning like there was no tomorrow. Kagome smiled and wrapped her arms around him. _He's no replacement for Shippo, but he'll make a good brother when I find him again. After all…_ She smiled down at him and let him return to exploring the small living space. _He's a boy before a demon._

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AN: Okay! No real pairing, but it's good nonetheless in my opinion; though that doesn't count for much, does it? -.-' Thank you all for reading, and please leave me some reviews with your thoughts, as well as anything you might want me to write, 'cause I kinda have writer's block. _  
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	14. One Artist to Another

One Artist to Another

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, kk?

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"Sai!" The artist looked up at his female teammate's voice. She was running toward him, waving some piece of paper in her hand and smiling as she always did.

He put on a fake smile. "Hello, Hag. What can I do for you today?" He was… surprised, yes that was the peculiar feeling that he had when, for some reason, she didn't respond to his insult with a punch that would no doubt hurt him more than her.

Sakura just smiled and held the piece of paper she had been waving out to him. "It looks like you have some competition." Curious, Sai took the paper from her and looked it over. His eyes widened at what was on it.

It was a picture, hand drawn and painted with amazing detail. It was of a small, red-haired boy and someone who Sai assumed was his mother, though she had black hair. The boy was jumping into her arms with a wide grin while she was kneeling on green grass, also smiling with her arms open to catch him. What amazed him were the girl's eyes. They were a deep, powerful blue that nearly glowed with love for the boy.

In fact, the only problem that Sai could find with the scene was that the boy had a bushy tail and his feet and hands resembled paws.

Sai narrowed his eyes in confusion. With his pictures, they were like him, dead of nearly all emotion, but… this one… this one felt _alive_. Even_ he _could feel the emotion radiating from the paper. Not only could he feel it, he could recognize the love in it. "Where did you get this?"

Sakura blinked before answering. "A girl about our age in selling them… Actually, I think that she's the girl in the picture." She pointed back the way she came and blinked when Sai vanished… with her picture. "Sai!"

The art jutsu-user ignored her call and searched for the girl whose eyes had captivated him. He found her surrounded by people crowding to look at her art. Sai calmly pushed his way through them but stopped in… shock, was it? when he looked at the table.

Spread across the table were various pictures, most of them were of the boy in Sakura's picture and a regal, cold-looking man with long silver hair. The boy was always grinning or laughing, sometimes being chased by a man in red with silver dog ears, while there were very few pictures where the man was smiling. In most of them, the man was with a smiling little girl in a checkered kimono. All of them radiatedsome emotion or another.

"You're an artist, too, aren't you?" Sai turned his head to the side to see the girl from the picture, if only a little older, smiling kindly at him. "I can tell by you're hands," she told held out her hand, palm up, for him to see. "Because they're like mine."

Sai looked down at her hand then to his own, but he couldn't see anything that could have connected the two of them. He shook it off then turned back to the paintings. "You did all of these?" He saw her nod from the corner of his eyes and traced his finger over the tiny smile caressing the silver-haired man's face in one of the few pictures. "How were you able to do this? Express so much… emotion into all of them?"

The girl paused and seemed to be thinking over what he had said before she smiled. "I think I know what you're asking, but there isn't really an answer…" She picked up a picture of the boy sitting on a tree stump, happily going through a box of pocky. (AN: KAWII! XD) "The best thing I can say is that it's because… everyone in these pictures… they were, _(maybe are, I'm still not sure,)_ very close to me, so I pour my love for them into these."

She set the paper down and turned back to him with a bright smile. "I know it's not a good answer, but it's the best that I have." She turned around as someone tapped her shoulder wanting to pay for a picture.

Sai watched her for a moment before turning back to the table. _Pour the emotion… into the picture…_ He frowned in thought. _I don't understand._ He turned and walked away, intent on figuring out what she had meant.

Kagome watched him leave with a small smile. He would understand what she meant eventually, and he would probably discover his emotion in the process. _After all…_ She looked down at the picture of the smiling Sesshomaru with a fond smirk.

* * *

Sai looked down at the picture in front of him and smiled a little. It wasn't much, but it was there, a sense of contentment and peace radiating from the drawing of a waterfall and a garden. It had taken him a whole week or so, but he had finally put an emotion, other than the annoyance and frustration he had discovered while trying, into his picture.

Sai nodded in approval and stood to go find Kagome, who he had gone to more than once for advice. She was easy enough to find, but the circumstances were not what he had expected or was used to. She was leaning against the rail of the bridge that Team 7 usually met at, just staring out at the water.

She looked up as he approached and smiled. "Hey, Sai. Did you draw anything new?" He held out the waterfall picture and watched her analyze it. "Sugoi… You did a really good job!" She smiled brightly, tilting her head to the side. "I'm glad I was able to see it before I leave."

"You're leaving?" Sai felt a new emotion well up inside of him. It felt… like he had lost something important, or that he was trying to hold on to whatever the something was, but was failing. He wasn't sure what it was, but he quickly decided that he didn't like it.

Kagome smiled sadly and looked out to the water again. "Aa, there's no reason for me to stay, and I still have to find my family." He could tell that she was sad, but he didn't know how to help, or how to give her a reason to stay, so he, for once, didn't think through his actions.

She felt him come up behind her, but she didn't expect him to wrap his arms around her. "S-Sai? Wha?" From what she knew of him, he was still learning how to feel, so he wasn't one to have much physical contact with anyone outside of battle.

The art jutsu-user placed his head on her shoulder and looked out at the water. He didn't know what had told him to embrace her, but he was guessing that it was an instinct, not that he was complaining; he found that he liked having her in his arms. "I don't know what I can do to make you stay, so I won't try, but…" He pushed his head into her hair, trying to memorize everything he could about the girl who helped him change. "I just want to say thank you… and please come back soon."

Kagome smiled and turned around in his arms. "I'll come back, I just can't promise how soon." She pressed her lips against his for a quick kiss, but when she went to leave, he pulled her back and deepened the kiss.

After a moment, she pulled back to breath and smiled at him. "I'll come visit, I promise." She tried to give back the picture, but he shook his head and folded her hands around it, clearly saying, 'keep it.'

The miko smiled at him one last time then turned to walk away. _I'm sorry, Sai, but I have to make sure that I'm really the only one left before there could be anything between us. But…_ She smiled softly as the sunlight fell over her face. _We'll always be friends, one artist to another, no matter what._

_

* * *

_

AN: This is my first fic with Sai in it, so if I get his character wrong, please forgive me. Thank you all for reading and please leave me with a review of your thoughts or something for me to write for this fic!


	15. She's the Reason

She's the Reason

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, sadly.

* * *

"Itachi-kun!" The thirteen year old ANBU captain turned halfway around and watched the twelve year old girl run up to him then began walking again, with her at his side. "It's been a while since we've been able to talk, (no matter how one-sided the conversations are.)"

The Sharingan-user glanced at her then stared ahead again. "Gomen, Kagome-san, but I have been incredibly busy as Captain and with the duties that my father has given me." The girl, Kagome, nodded thoughtfully and he truly felt bad for avoiding her as he had been lately. She was a unique Uchiha and seemed to attract more trouble than his little bother.

"You know…" He looked down at her to let her know that he was listening. "You may be in ANBU and all, but I think your father needs to realize that you're still just a kid, no matter how much you hide it." She smiled up at him with the smile he had come to love, because it seemed to brighten up his day, no matter how bad it had been. "You need a day off to just have fun!"

Itachi gazed down at her and let small smile grace his features. "I will discuss it with him, but please do not be too disappointed if it does not work out."_ I believe that I would be disappointed enough for the both of us…_

Kagome smile and was about to respond when Shisui came up to them. "Gomen, Itachi, but Fugaku-sama and the other elders wish to borrow Kagome-san." Itachi stiffened and his hand twitched slightly, wanting to grab a kunai and protect the girl.

Kagome seemed confused and not just a little scared, telling her companion that she didn't know why she was being summoned; also that she was dead scared of going. "I'm sure my father can wait a few more mome –"

"He can't." Itachi's glare reminded him of who he was talking to and he gulped, best friend or not, Itachi was scary. "G-Gomen, Itachi, d-demo I was ordered to bring her right away." Itachi was about to harden his glare when he felt a light touch on his arm. He glanced down to see Kagome giving him a look that said it was okay.

He leaned down beside her ear and spoke quietly so no one passing by or Shisui could here. "Be careful; I don't know what they want and they may try to talk you into a corner… Watch everything that you say, and once it's over, come find me." Kagome nodded shakily and leaned into him slightly as a hug before taking hold of a stony and confident façade and walking toward the Uchiha that called himself Itachi's best friend.

Itachi watched as they walked away then turned to go train; he needed to relieve some stress. _If anything happens to her…_ He threw a kunai _through_ a tree and ran a hand through his bangs. _She has somehow crept her way into my heart more than Sasuke has…_ He continued training for hours waiting for her to come.

* * *

"Itachi?" The soft voice caused him to whirl around to face the girl. She didn't just look stressed from the meeting; she looked emotionally drained, tired and terrified. "Am I interrupting something? I can leave if-"

"Kagome-san, it's fine." He started to walk over to her and saw that she would meet his eyes. "Kagome?" He took a step closer to her and saw the trembling in her hands as she stepped away form him. Before she could get out of his reach, he grabbed her wrist and held it gently. "Kagome, what's wrong? You haven't acted like this since our academy days." His eyes narrowed when she continued to gaze away from him. "What did they tell you?"

That was apparently the right question and the dams broke. Kagome burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. Itachi instantly wrapped his arms around her and held her comfortingly. She didn't try to say anything yet, and he didn't push her, just let her cry into his shoulder as his eye grew hard. _I don't know what they did, but they're going to pay for it._ He stroked the girl's back as he began plotting. All his plans vanished, however, when he heard her soft voice.

"They… said I was a distraction to you… that I wasn't to even talk to you now… that if they caught me… I'd be forced to be engaged to stay out of your way…" Itachi's Sharingan had activated in unbridled rage and his hold on the girl tightened, telling her that he wouldn't let that happen.

"Who would you be forced to be engaged to, Kagome?" A sob shook her small frame and he pulled back to look her in the eyes. "Tell me who, Kagome." She shook her head and tried to pull away, but he kept a tight hold on her arms. "Who, Kagome?"

"You'll… You'll kill him, won't you?" His silence was all the answer she needed and she tried to pull away again, but his hold only tightened. She whimpered and he barely caught the whispered name. "Shisui…"

* * *

Shisui sighed as he looked down at his reflection in the stream. What had possessed him to volunteer to marry Kagome if needed? Sure, he liked the girl, but so did Itachi, and what the prodigy considered his, he kept. "What did I get myself into?"

"That is a very good question, Shisui." Said boy whirled around to face a hard, Sharingan glare. He tried to stand, but found that he couldn't move as Itachi slowly stalked forward, his glare never moving from his 'best friend.'

"Itachi, I swear, I only volunteered because I though that it would help." His shaky voice did nothing to diminish the other Uchiha's anger, if anything, it made it flare even more. "I thought that it would be better if she was with someone she knew and you knew would keep her safe."

Itachi came to a stop and looked into his eyes. "Shisui, Kagome barely knows you at all, and you should know what I do not trust anyone else with what is so obviously mine." Seeing the confusion in Shisui's ebony eyes, he explained. "She comes only to me, looks only to me, and pays attention only to me, therefore, she is mine."

Shisui saw the hard, angry look in his friend's eyes and smiled softly. "Aa, I suppose you're right." He saw a carefully masked flash of surprise and closed his eyes. "I wasn't thinking, I'm sorry; now go on and kill me before the paralysis wears off."

Itachi was surprised at Shisui's command, but he didn't need to be told twice. He had, after all, admitted that he had wanted to take Kagome away from him, no matter how he had dressed it up. "Forgive me, Shisui."

The ANBU captain quickly pushed the other Uchiha into the stream and turned away, not wanting to see him struggle to breath through the water and even take his last moments before dying. He took in a shaky breathe and began walking away. He would need to make this look like a suicide.

* * *

Two weeks had passed since Shisui's 'suicide,' and only a few days later, two Uchiha police officers had followed him into the afterlife. Kagome sat on her bed, staring at her hands. She knew that the three deaths hadn't been suicide, but she couldn't tell anyone; Itachi would get into trouble and she would never forgive herself.

"Kagome." She jumped and looked up at the Uchiha prodigy. Speak of the devil… Kagome looked into his Sharingan before running to him and throwing her arms around him. Murderer or not, she still loved him, after all, he wouldn't be Itachi if he was anything else, and she would never try to change him.

"Kagome, are you alright?" He felt her smile and nod. He let out a sigh of relief and rested his head on hers. The last few weeks had been hard on him too; he was still fully realizing that he had killed his best friend, and it was hard. It was also highly probable that Kagome would be accused of killing the three that he had, but he knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't kill anything unless it was a direct threat to someone she care about. "Have they called for you again?"

The girl shook her head and pulled away. "They've ignored me with all the attention being focused on the three… deaths." She looked away, feeling guilty that they died because of her. Itachi stroked her cheek, knowing full-well that she didn't like to think about them, especially Shisui.

They heard footsteps coming down the hall and Itachi seemed to fade into the shadows. Kagome stood anxiously facing the door. Her mother opened the shoji screen and looked at her sadly before stepping aside to allow four police officers to come through. They surrounded the girl and an elder walked in, apparently feeling very superior, but also disgusted that he was in a 'peasant's' house. "Uchiha Kagome, you are hereby arrested for disobeying the orders of the council."

Before he could give the order to take her away, a kunai was conveniently blocking his airway and another was allowing his lungs to fill with blood. The officers whirled around to face an angry Itachi, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning furiously.

Blood splattered across the floor as they fell to the ground beside the elder and Kagome's mother screamed before she too fell and blood began pooling around her. Kagome felt tears burn her eyes and she turned around to face him. He stared at her blankly before spreading his arms, offering both comfort and an apology. She accepted and ran to him. She let him run his hands through her hair in a soothing gesture as tears trailed down her face. "Gomen nazai, Kagome, but I will not allow anyone to take you away from me."

She sighed and buried her face into his armor. A lot of people were going to die that night, perhaps even the whole clan, but Itachi wouldn't let anything happen to her.

He pulled away slightly and, in a soft tone rarely used by the soon-to-be missing-nin, he whispered. "Pack whatever you might need and get some rest; I'll be back in a couple of hours." She nodded and watched him disappear from her window, leaving her surrounded by blood.

* * *

Kagome was awoken again by Itachi shaking her shoulders. She had been sleeping in her mother's bed, having not been able to bear sleeping in a room with so much blood. Blinking the weariness out of her eyes, she looked up at him and saw a sadness and weariness in his usually cold eyes. "Itachi-kun? What happened?"

The Mangekyo-user sat beside her on the bed and ran his hands through his hair. "There was… an unexpected development when Sasuke came home." She sat up and wrapped her arms around him. No more words were needed, because she understood that he wouldn't tell her about how much he hadn't wanted to hurt his little brother.

"Come; we need to leave before ANBU arrive." Within seconds, there was only one living Uchiha in all of Konoha, and he swore revenge against the one who he had once called brother. Through all the havoc, no one noticed the absence of all files concerning one Uchiha Kagome. To all who never knew her, she had never existed.

Itachi burned them that night, while Kagome slept. He would not allow Kagome to be discovered and hunted, which she would be, he knew, because she was the reason.

* * *

AN: This was a different one, but I liked it all the same. Thank you all for reading! And please tell me if there is anything you want me to write for this. Review!


	16. My Sister

My Sister

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

"Itachi-nii-san?" The Sharingan-user looked down at the girl by his side to let her know that he was listening. "You'll always be here, right? With me?" Itachi blinked. She was scared of something, but of what, he didn't know.

He gave her a ghost of a smile and pulled her onto his lap to better watch the sunset. "Aa, I'll be here, and even if I'm not," he placed a hand over his little sister's heart. "I'll be right here, always remember that, Kagome-chan." Kagome smiled and leaned back into his chest.

Itachi wrapped his arms around her and stayed like that until she had fallen asleep. _Sasuke will be jealous._ He picked her up and took her back into the house, amazingly gentle for an ANBU captain who had already killed countless people. Tucking her into bed, he pushed some hair out of her eyes. "I'll always protect you, Imouto…"

Even though he promised, he wasn't sure it would be a promise that even he could keep.

* * *

"Why?! _Nii-san!"_ Sasuke let the tears stream down his face as he looked up at his idol, his brother, who stood over their parents' dead bodies. Itachi didn't answer, just stared down at him blankly. Sasuke looked to his family and his eyes widened. One body wasn't there. _Kagome! I need to get her out!_

Itachi blinked when his little brother got up from where he had fallen to the floor from the Tsukiyomi and ran; the elder brother had expected him to continue ranting for at least two more minutes before running in terror. He listened to Sasuke's footsteps take him not out of the house and onto the street, but down the hall… and into Kagome's room. His Sharingan hardened. _He won't take her from me._

"Kagome! Imouto, wake up!" The girl blearily opened her eyes and yawned. "Imouto, we have to go! Nii-san – he kille – "

"Nii-san?" Kagome was looking past him, to the door. Sasuke froze and turned to the door, only to see Itachi glaring at him. "Sasu-chan? Nii-san? What's wrong? Why are you staring at each other like that?"

Itachi turned to her and his Sharingan nearly faded as his eyes softened. "It's nothing, Kagome-chan; the others and I had an argument, that's all. Go back to sleep." Sasuke looked at him as though he had not grown one, but three more heads. Kagome looked between them again before obeying him and beginning to settle down again.

"No! We have to run! Nii-san –" He was stopped short by a hand on his shoulder. Itachi was right behind him, guiding him out of the room before he could try to warn their sister. Once her door was shut, he tore from his older brother and glared at him. "Why!? Why did you kill everyone else, but not her!?"

Itachi looked down at him indifferently. "There would be no gain in killing her; I killed the others to test my capability." _Besides, I wouldn't have been able to kill her even if I tried._ "Now, you will not remember her until I deem it necessary that you do so."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he took a step back. "Y-You can't do that! She's my sister, I would never forget her!"

Itachi let out a humorless chuckle and bent down a little to look him in the eyes. "I beg to differ, baka otouto. (foolish little brother.) Tsukiyomi." Within seconds, Sasuke was on the ground, screaming, all memories of his sister gone.

Itachi watched him pass and let his façade fall. "Sasuke… Gomen." He turned and walked back to his sister's room. "Kagome-chan, Imouto, we need to leave." He traced her cheek with the back on his fingers.

"Nii-san?" Kagome looked up at him innocently, not knowing the fate of any of her family.

"Get dressed, I have to take you somewhere where it's safe." Kagome yawned but nodded and did as he said. Once she was dressed, he picked her up and left through her window so she wouldn't have to see all the blood that he had spilt that night.

He took her deep into the forest and to a well that only he knew of and jumped in without hesitation. Blue light surrounded them and he landed at the bottom. Kagome looked above them and furrowed her brows in confusion at the roof above them. "Nii-san, where are we?"

Itachi tightened his hold on her and jumped out of the well. He set her down on her feet and knelt down to her eye level. "We're safe, Kagome-chan, now I need you to listen carefully." He waited until she was completely focused on him before giving her a sad smile. "You're going to have to stay here for a long time, but I promise to come get you when it's safe again, okay?"

Kagome bent her head in sadness but comforted him a little by patting his cheek softly. "Okay, Nii-san, I'll wait." Itachi pulled her into a tight hug, wishing that it didn't have to be this way, but he couldn't allow the clan to live after what he heard them planning for his siblings, and he didn't want to leave Kagome with Sasuke for fear that he would convince her to hate him as well. Kagome hugged him back and some tears trailed down her face and she buried her head into his shirt. "Never forget me…"

"I won't." Then he was gone.

The next morning, an old priest found the girl sleeping beside the well with tearstains on her face.

* * *

Higurashi Kun-loon looked outside at the well house and sighed. Kagome hadn't come home yet after a whole month and it was only natural that she be worried. It wasn't that she thought that Inuyasha was incapable of protecting her daughter, but it was around this time that her father had found her beside the well, crying for her brother.

It was also around this time that Kagome would begin to go into a daze and would often gaze into space with a wistful look. Inuyasha had even come and asked her about it, but she had no answer. It was just something that Kagome did.

She sighed again and was about to return to the dishes when she felt cold metal against her neck. On instinct, she froze and glanced to the side to try to see who was there, but she only saw black with red clouds.

"Where is Kagome?" The cold voice sent shivers of fear down her spine but she didn't answer, he could want to kill her daughter! The man behind her pressed the knife closer to her neck, breaking the skin just enough to draw blood. His deep voice became more insistent. "Where is she?"

"Demon be –" Ji-chan had just come into the room to see his daughter being threatened by a possible demon, so he was _planning_ on defending her with his ofudas, but the piece of paper he was planning on purifying the demon with was stuck to the wall by the knife that the man had been holding to her neck.

Ji-chan was now sitting against the wall, trembling in fear as the intruder turned back to question Kun-loon. _Those eyes…_ Red with black markings was not a common eye color, even among demons, and they scared him more than anything he had ever seen before.

"Where is Kagome?" His answer was in the form of a loud argument coming from outside the house.

"Go back, Inuyasha! I'm safe here – What are you_ doing?!_" The strong female voice brought a smirk to the intruder's lips as he turned to face the door.

"I'm telling you, I smell fear and blood! There is no way I'm leaving you here without checking it out!" His smirk faded and his eyes narrowed as a silver-haired, dog-eared boy came through the doorway. "Who the hell are you?!" The boy tried to pull out his sword, but he heard the female voice cry out something and the boy fell to the ground, much to the intruder's amusement.

The intruder looked past the fallen dog to see a girl younger than him standing in the doorway. "Kagome-chan." His call ended the string of curses come from the boy and the girl looked up at him. As their eyes met over the brim of his cloak and under his hat, her eyes widened and she took a tentative step toward him.

"Kagome, don't go near him, he's dangerous –" Kun-loon cut herself off as she saw her daughter run across the room and into the man's awaiting arms. "Kagome!"

The miko didn't listen as she buried her face into her brother's cloak. No one else who knew where she was had those eyes, though she was certain that Sasuke probably had three tomoe by now. "I knew you'd come back for me…"

Itachi merely tightened his hold on her. "I missed you as well, Imouto." He could feel the shock from all of the three watched and stroked her hair soothingly. "Everything is safe now, Kagome-chan; we can go home."

Inuyasha shook off his shock and scowled. "What do you mean 'go home'? She is home! And she can't go anywhere, especially not with you! She's still my shard detector!"

Kagome flinched at the last two words and Itachi glared at the hanyou causing said hanyou to take a step back; he looked too damn much like Sesshomaru. "If you must know, Kagome and I belong in a different world, but I had to bring her here to keep her safe, although," his fingers traced a scar on her back through her shirt. "It seems that it is not as safe here as I assumed."

While Itachi was lecturing the hanyou, Kagome thought about what he had said. _Is that still all I am to him? After all we've been through?_ She thought of her other friends and had to close her eyes to keep the tears from falling. _I can't _not_ go back with Nii-san, but I have to see them again._

"Let's just go home, onegai." Itachi nodded and formed a single hand sign while continuing to hold onto his sister. "But I need to do something first, so let me control where we go when we fall through the well." Itachi nodded again then in a poof of smoke, the two of them were gone.

"Kagome!"

* * *

The miko ignored the call as she and her brother fell down the well, Itachi having teleported them right above it. She smiled as the familiar blue lights surrounded them.

When he jumped out on the other side, Kagome saw the familiar forestry of the Sengoku Jidai. She stepped away from her brother and tugged his hand. He followed her about half-way to Edo when they saw an orange blur and heard a shout of "Kagome!"

The miko had to hold Itachi back from attacking the blur as it attached itself to her waist. "Hey Shippo-chan." The kitsune looked up at her happily. "You couldn't have missed me that much; I wasn't even gone for fifteen minutes!"

"So? I can still miss my 'Kaa-chan, can't I?" Kagome felt Itachi stiffen and smiled while making a show of petting his tail.

"Shippo-chan, this is my brother, Itachi; Nii-san, this is my adoptive son, Shippo." Itachi relaxed and nodded to the kitsune who beamed up at him. "Ne, where are Sango-chan and Miroku-sama?"

"Here, Kagome-chan." Itachi already knew they were there and gazed over the two of them. A monk and a woman fighter, a strange pair, but his sister's son was even stranger. "Who is he, and where is Inuyasha?"

Kagome smiled and turned to them. "Itachi-nii-san is my elder brother and Inuyasha is still on the other side of the well." She walked over to them and hugged them both. "I'm going back home with Nii-san, and I'm not sure if I'll be back, so I'm here to say goodbye."

Her friends' eyes widened, but they also understood, except for Shippo, who immediately turned to Itachi and looked up at him with scared and hopeful eyes. "Can I come with you, please?"

Kagome then looked back at him with the same eyes. The Sharingan-user heaved an unnoticeable sigh then nodded. "You will be trained as Kagome and I were; I will not allow someone to travel with me when they are helpless." He saw it coming, but he did nothing to stop the two hugs that engulfed him, one from his sister, and one from his new nephew.

Once Kagome and Shippo had said their goodbyes, Kagome having left something behind for a person named Sesshomaru, Itachi took them through the well to the forest outside of Konoha. Shippo jumped down from their arms and began looking around in curious wonder while Kagome stayed beside her brother. "Thank you for coming to get us, Nii-san."

Itachi didn't reply, but he did revel in her bright smile. He may not harbor any romantic feelings for her, which many people would believe to be true if they watched them interact, but she was the one person he cared about most, and he would do anything to protect her and her happiness.

* * *

AN: Yeah, I think that I did pretty well on this one, but I'll let you guys decide that. Thank you all for reading! Please leave me a review and if you want me to write anything.


	17. For You Alone

For You Alone

Disclaimer: I really wish I owned this, but, alas, I don't.

* * *

"Why do you continue to follow me?" Kagome paused at the question and tilted her head to the side. "Why do you follow me even after you know of the demon?" Gaara turned back to watch her. It was a question he had been wanting to ask for some time, but was afraid of the answer. 

Kagome blinked_. His demon? Doesn't he know that it was Shukaku that asked me to stay?_ The miko smiled and walked up to him without fear, something he admired about her. "Do you really want to know?" At his nod, she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms about him. "I stay because I can, because I was asked, and because you remind me of someone I knew…" _Sesshomaru…_

Gaara carefully wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "If this… person were to come for you, would you leave?" Even if it sounded to everyone else as indifferent, he knew that the girl with him would be able to sort through it and pick out the different emotions in his voice, including fear.

Kagome didn't answer right away. _Sesshomaru… would you come at all?_ "Maybe… He meant a great deal to me, and I don't know if he is even alive now…" A grin crossed her face as she remembered a particular conversation that she had with the taiyoukai. "Though, he might be willing to share if he considers you worthy enough and able to protect me when he isn't."

Gaara snorted in distaste but let his head fall to hers. Kagome sighed as the action reminded her of the taiyoukai of the West, not hindered to the least by the fact that Gaara wasn't using his left arm.

* * *

_"If Inuyasha were to come back, would you leave?" The question caused Kagome to look into the golden gaze of the man she had her arms around. Sesshomaru looked down at her and allowed her to see the trepidation lying in his eyes._

_The miko smiled and laid her head back against his chest. "After what he did, I doubt it, not unless you came with me." Sesshomaru snaked his arm around her waist and pushed her closer to him._

* * *

Kagome sighed at the memory, but started when she felt a wave of youki wash over her. Gaara tensed and the sand around them quivered. She pulled back slightly and looked around, her eyes brightening as they landed on a familiar set of golden irises. "Sesshomaru…"

His eyes softened as he turned his gaze from the red-haired boy to the miko's bright blue eyes. "For you alone, Kagome, would this Sesshomaru be willing to share."

* * *

AN: … I didn't like this one as much, though I did like the segment with just Kag and Sesshou. I don't know why I'm putting so much SesshKag into these, but it's fun and I like the pairing, so meh. Tell me what you think, please! 


	18. Payback

Payback

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

"Kagome!" A black-haired girl laughed as a silver-haired, masked and _wet_ man chased after her, his one visible eye blazing furiously. "Get back here so I can _kill_ you!" Villagers that watched them run by only smiled and shook their head in amazement at the pair.

Kagome laughed again and paused just long enough to soak her pursuer again with a hidden bucket of water. "Now why would I do that? I thought the point of having a life was to _live,_ not let everyone who wants to kill me kill me!"

Kakashi's face formed into an even more fierce scowl, though his female friend just smiled in the face of danger. _I think Shippo's adoption of me as his family made e a bit more kitsune-like…_ She heard a slight growl from his direction and grinned. _Maybe more than is good for me._

"Kagome…" She perked up a little at his growl. "I suggest that you_ run._" She squealed quietly in excitement before running away. Though he had a scowl on his face, the Copy-nin was happy to be spending time with his best friend, even though she infuriated him to no end.

The Yondaime looked out his office window to watch the two shoot past with a smile. It had been a long time since Obito's and Rin's deaths, and it was about time that his prodigy found another friend. _I just hope that she doesn't die on him; he can't lose another one._

After nearly an hour of avoiding Kakashi, Kagome finally yelped in surprise when he tackled her. She managed to hold her ground, but he had his arms around her and there was a smirk on his face even if she couldn't see it. "Caught you."

She smiled and turned her head slightly so she could see him. "Maybe, but what would the point be in killing me now? You're all dry." He paused for a moment and actually looked down at himself to see that the run had indeed dried him off.

"Just because you're right doesn't mean that you're off the hook." He turned her around in his arms, only to come face to face with an innocent smile. "I still get payback."

Kagome's smile became a smirk. "Oh really? And what form will this payback take?" The moment the words were off her lips, cloth-covered ones pressed against hers. She rolled her eyes and pulled away, reaching up to his mask. "If you're going to kiss me, do it right."

He smiled and let her pull the cloth away before swooping to catch her lips in a real kiss. The miko did nothing to stop him and let him take his 'pay.'

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AN: I was tempted to put at the end, "A day later, the Kyuubi attacked for an 'unknown' reason, but that didn't seem right, so meh. Thank you all for reading and please leave me a review about what you want to me to write, just nothing with Hidan, Leader, Kakuzu, Zetsu, Orochimaru, Kabuto, (gags after the last two; I hate them, but I just don't know enough about the others.)


	19. Look After You

Look After You

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

Kagome walked through the dunes of Wind Country quickly. She loved the sand and how it was constantly shifting, but it was _hot_.

She slipped slightly in the sand and barely was able to catch herself in time. She had heard of an organization that was after powerful demons, and that the Kazekage of Suna had one of those demons sealed inside of him.

The miko began to climb one of the dunes and watched the sand fall around her in fascination. After she had woken up in this universe, she had sought out any rumors of powerful demons, because she had no doubt that that would be where her friends were, especially Sesshomaru. When she heard about the bijuu and the cult that was after them, she had decided that she would either keep the demons away from them, or join them for the sole purpose of seeking out her companions. After that, she was sure that she would probably betray them for her friends' safety.

The wind whipped around her as she made it to the top of the dune and she smiled at the sight of the endless desert. She wasn't sure which of her choices she would prefer, so it mattered entirely on the situation that she came upon.

"You seem lost." The miko whirled around to face a red-haired boy no older than herself standing behind her. He watched her dispassionately through pale eyes and he had his arms crossed confidently over his chest. The kanji for love was imprinted on his forehead and he wore an old guard across his back. "What is your business here?"

_He's cute._ Kagome smiled kindly at the boy while focusing on his aura. _This must be the Kazekage… a tanuki, huh?... Wait... That youki is familiar…_ "Hachi?" The whispered word caused a spike of surprise and recognition in the youki, but the boy's eyes narrowed.

He seemed about to ask her something, (probably more of a demand than a question,) when another spike in the youki caused a pained look to cross his face. Kagome's eyes widened in shock. Hachi, the shape-shifting tanuki that had sometimes accompanied her and her friends due to Miroku's 'persuasion' had never been this strong; of course, she wasn't about to say that out loud.

-

_**Harm her, boy, and I will make your life more miserable than I did before the chuunin exams.**_ Gaara reached one hand up to clutch his head as the pain decreased considerable. _**She has my respect and deserves yours.**_

Before the Kazekage could respond, he felt Shukaku's chakre reach out to the girl and surround her. "_**Forgive my vessel, Kagome-sama, but he does not share my memories of you."**_ The girl, Kagome as Shukaku had called her, smiled kindly and seemed to dismiss it.

"It's alright, Hachi-chan." Gaara's eyes widened considerably. '-chan'? And why did she keep calling him that?! "How long have you been like this? I don't remember you controlling sand." He heard the tanuki chuckle, but he had the strangest feeling that, if he had been visible, Shukaku would have been blushing.

"_**We were all given new elements when we were… transferred here. I was given wind and sand, the nekomata was given death,"**_ Gaara was feeling left out since he didn't know what was going on, but he noticed that the girl seemed to be confused as well. _**"Sesshomaru-sama was given illusions, though I believe that he still is able to wield his poisons, and your kit was allowed to keep fire."**_

The Kazekage saw the girl's eyes light up and he was even more confused. Kit? Wasn't that short for kitsune? His brows furrowed. Kyuubi? And what did Shukaku mean by 'her' Kyuubi? If anyone owned the Nine-tails, it was Naruto.

"_**I'll warn you now, though, Kirara-chan and Shippo-sama are sealed just as I am, but I believe that Sesshomaru-sama still roams."**_ The light in her eyes faded a little and Gaara found that the dullness didn't suite her very well. The strangest thing was that she tried to hide it.

-

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you guys are okay, but shouldn't you be introducing me to the Kazekage?" She saw the boy stand a little straighter at the mention of his title and felt the pride in Hachi's youki, though he would never let his vessel feel it.

"I am Sabaku-no-Gaara, Godaime Kazekage." She bowed to him, probably shocking him, after all, she spoke to a demon freely, yet she bowed to a human, a supposedly lower race. She had to hide her smirk at the confusion coming from him.

"I am Higurashi Kagome, Shikon-no-Tama-no-Miko; (Miko of the Jewel of Four Souls;) it's an honor to make your acquaintance, Gaara-sama." She smiled at him as she straightened, much to Hachi's disgruntlement. "I was actually going to Suna to meet you."

Gaara nodded his head in acknowledgement and reached his arm. "Come; y way of travel will take us there without you having to go through the tedious security."

The miko smiled gratefully and walked to him She _really_ didn't want to go through security, especially when she didn't have any legal documents about herself. He gently held her, no doubt with a few threats from Hachi about what would happen if he didn't, and they disappeared in a flurry of sand.

-

Kagome stood anxiously at the window of the apartment that Gaara had given her. The organization known as Akatsuki had come for Hachi, but Gaara had forbidden her from confronting them. He had come to care for her at least a little bit, and no small part of that was due to how she kept Hachi in line.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a familiar aura. Her eyes widened and she ran to the door, only to find it locked. She tried to unlock it, but grains of sand held it in place. She slammed her hand against the door and cursed Gaara and Hachi; they weren't taking chances about her escaping to help them… or to find her son.

"Damn…" She turned her back to the door and slid down until she was sitting on the floor. The miko covered her face with her hands. "Shippo-chan…" He was still a long ways off, but he was _there_, and she couldn't see him.

Grains of sand fell to her shoulder, causing her head to snap up. _Are they coming back?_ Hachi either was coming closer and he threat was over so they were going to allow her out, or they were in trouble.

"The Kazekage has been kidnapped!" The call came from the streets and Kagome cursed harshly.

"Gaara… Hachi… Don't die." She looked helplessly across Suna, not knowing what was happening to them.

-

Kagome looked across the endless sand dunes of Wind Country. She felt Gaara come up behind her, shortly followed by his now protective siblings, but she could bring herself to face him. It felt odd to not have Hachi's aura mingling with his.

Hachi was gone, taken by Akatsuki, and the seal on Shippo was too strong for her to even talk to him, though he had known she was there when she passed his vessel. So, needless to say, she wasn't as chipper as she had been before. She was happy that Gaara had been resurrected though.

"You will be leaving, then?" She heard the disappointment in his voice and bowed her head a little more, but didn't say anything. "Suna's gates will always be open to you, Kagome." She nodded, not wanting to see his face yet; she might change her mind about leaving to find Sesshomaru.

"It's been a please to be here, Gaara-sama. Sayonara." The miko had a feeling that, had Temari and Kankuro not been there, he would have done more to keep her with them. After his resurrection, she had come to her to 'fill the emptiness from where Shukaku had been.'

She began walking away from him when she caught a mumbled phrase on the wind. "Thank you…" It brought a smile to her lips and she paused to smile back at him, careful to keep her eyes closed yet still appear happy.

"I'll be back, Gaara-sama; I always look after those close to me."


	20. Nightmares

Nightmares

AN: Okay, this drabble has my brother's OC, Ryuu in it. I already have a story dedicated to him, Falling in Love with a Dragon, so if you like him, you can read that. And I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, but Aniki does own Ryuu.

* * *

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's cry caused her eyes to widen as she whirled around to face the hoard of youkai lunged for her. She took a step, as if to run off, but tripped over a rock. She landed hard on her back, by then it was too late; she couldn't get herself out of this one. The youkai closed in and she closed her eyes, waiting for the impact.

* * *

The miko shot up from her sweat-soaked futon, panting hard. It took her a moment to realize that she was safe in her apartment in Konoha. She raised a shaky hand to her mouth in order to try to quiet her breathing as to not wake up the male beside her. _Kuso…_ She looked to him to make sure he was still asleep before gently getting off the futon. She walked a little unsteadily to the bathroom door and closed it behind her. _It's been a long time since I've had that nightmare._

She looked at her reflection in the mirror and traced her fingers over the scar that started on her shoulder but went down under her night shirt. That battle had been when she had been transported here, to this alternate universe. Of course, it was also where her roommate had picked her up and healed her. After that, she followed him around, because he had promised that he would help her get back to them. That had been… nearly three years ago. They had come to Konoha since it was his home,

"You had another nightmare?" She jumped and turned to face the doorway, only to see her roommate leaning there. His smile seemed to be all knowing as she turned her head away. "It's not something to be ashamed of; we all have nightmares."

She looked up at him skeptically; he always seemed so in control, how could he have nightmares? "Even you?"

"Hai." She blinked at the wide grin on his face. "Even me!" He sobered slightly and came beside her to look in the mirror. "Everyone has one fear, and our subconscious has a funny way of exploiting that and making us piss our pants in our sleep." Kagome had to cover a laugh with a cough. He grinned again and looked at her reflection. "All we have to do is find out what the fear is and kick its ass!"

Kagome couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. Ryuu watched her bend over holding her stomach with a grin. _Mission: Stop her from moping. Status: Success._ He chuckled and carefully took her arm. "Come on; let's get back to bed. Knowing Obaa-chan, she'll give us a huge mission tomorrow just to spite us because we didn't get enough sleep tonight."

The miko was still giggling as she let him lead her into their bedroom. They shared the apartment because he said that it was convenient. That didn't explain, however, why they shared a bed, but she let it slide. The blue-eyed man yawned and flopped down onto the futon, and, since he still held her arm, he 'accidently' dragged her down with him.

She rolled her eyes and settled down beside him. Because of her training under Sesshomaru in the Sengoku Jidai, then under Ryuu while they were traveling, Tsunade-sama had allowed her to become a shinobi of Konoha, of course, she would be with a friend, Ryuu, so she didn't get 'lost.' _I still need to figure out how he got her to do that…_ She knew that it was his fault because of the innocent look on his face, not counting the grin that had threatened to ruin it.

As the laughter caused by Ryuu's actions wore off, she drew depressed again, thinking about what had caused the whole thing to happen in the first place. She must have sighed too loudly, because Ryuu wrapped his arm around her waist in a comforting manner. "Relax; you have nothing to be afraid of tonight."

She immediately obeyed him out of habit and her slightly tense muscles relaxed against him and she was almost immediately asleep. Ryuu listened to her breathing as it evened out and nuzzled her hair a little. _I know that she hates her nightmares because she sees it as a sign of weakness, but if this is how we end up whenever she has one, I can only hope that she has more._

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AN: DRABBLE! XD Thank you all for reading! Please leave me a review! 


	21. In the West

In the West

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

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"Why do you continue to do this?" Kagome jumped slightly at the impassive voice then let small smile grace her features. She didn't answer, not right away anyway. She knew that the man behind her wouldn't speak again, and if silence was what allowed her to stay out in the open for a while longer, she would gladly embrace it with open arms.

She gazed back to the setting sun, ignoring the presence behind her. This happened every evening; she would escape from her 'prison' and come to the hill she was currently occupying the top of. Once they figured out that she was gone, her captors would send someone to retrieve her, though she would have come back on her own if they didn't. After all, she had no place to go and, even if she did, she wouldn't know how to get there. She just wanted to watch the sky darken with various shades of the rainbow as the sun faded in the west.

The man behind her was no doubt staring at her with his red eyes that would have terrified her had she been a few years younger. She had faced worse now, so she didn't care much. One of those worse things had ended up being the best thing that had ever happened to her. _Sesshomaru…_

Kagome smiled softly as she faced the sun. _West… that was Sesshomaru's lands, so if he ever comes for me, it would be from there._ She sighed as the sun touched the horizon. She had been to the taiyoukai's palace at the place where the sun seemed to disappear to when it set, but she didn't know if such a beautiful place existed here.

Itachi watched the girl's face as she ignored him. She portrayed all of her emotions far too easily in his opinion, but then, he never showed _any_ emotion. She was a puzzle, and he really didn't know why the Leader insisted that they keep her around. She didn't seem to have any special powers, though it was strange that she was always able to escape from them.

"I keep doing this to watch the sunset, Itachi-san." The sun had almost completely set and the miko stood up, dusting off the back of her kimono. "It's something that I've always done, and I see no reason to stop my tradition just because I'm a prisoner."

The elder Uchiha raised an eyes brow but made no move to force her back to the headquarters. She was different, and he supposed that that was what attracted him to her, and the fact that she was beautiful was simply an added plus. "What is it about the sunset that captivates you?"

She looked at him blankly, surprised that he was continuing the conversation, but she wasn't complaining, after all, it wasn't everyday that one actually _talked_ to _the_ Uchiha Itachi. She smiled and turned to watch the last of the golden sun disappear. _The color is the same as his eyes…_ "It reminds me of a dear friend that I hope to see again."

The Konoha missing-nin felt a pang of jealousy toward this 'dear friend' and scowled. Surely he wasn't _that_ possessive of her already, was he? "Hn." He was pleasantly surprised when he heard the melodious laugh of the miko that was his charge.

"Actually, you remind me a lot of him, Itachi-san; both of you are indifferent and hide your emotions from the world." He felt his eyebrow twitch slightly and scowled again. How did she think that she knew everyone about him when he hadn't spoken a total of five words to her before this evening?

"And how, pray tell, do you know that I have any emotions at all?" She simply laughed at him again, causing his eyebrow to twitch again. He chose to ignore her and turned to go back to headquarters, knowing that she would follow him. He couldn't allow himself to become attached to her, no matter how much that rebellious side of him begged to.

Kagome one the other hand was lost in her own thoughts. How many years had passed since she left the past? To her it was just a couple months, to the others... she didn't know, but she preferred to think that she had been transported to an entirely different world and prayed that Sesshomaru was here somewhere as well. They had never mated; at least, they didn't mark each other, though the taiyoukai had come very close on several occasions. She sighed as she followed the stoic Uchiha and turned to face the last traces of color in the sky. Someday, perhaps, she would truly leave and just fade into the west to look for him again.

* * *

AN: Kind of an ItachiKag, kind of a SessKag... meh. Thank you all for reading! Please review and tell me what you think, as well as what else you want me to do.

There is going to be ones focusing on Kagome and Kakashi, Kagome and Deidara, Kagome and Neji, Kagome and Kagome and Lee in the future. None of them are real pairings, I don't think. Just telling/warning you.


	22. Home Again

Home Again

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome breathed in a lungful of the clear air of her home, her _real_ home. It had been too long since she had last been here, and she couldn't wait to find out what all of her old friends had been up to for the past ten years, because they wouldn't believe what _she_ had gone through.

She gripped the strap of her pack more securely and walked through the gates of Konoha. _Now... where would Kakashi be?_

* * *

As it was, Hatake Kakashi was trying his best not to strangle his genin team, not that you would be able to tell he was struggling just by looking at him. Naruto and Sasuke were 'competing' again, and Sakura was… well... she was simply being her annoying self as she tried to gain Sasuke's affections, not that she could even get his attention.

It was at times like these that he wished for his own genin days; they may have been just as annoying, but _he_ hadn't been the one to deal with the genin all day. Plus, _she_ had been there, always ready to help. The Copy-nin sighed as she thoughts drifted to _her_ again, like always.

_She,_ of course, was his first best friend, _real_ best friend, after Obito and Rin. She had always been there, healing him of not only all of physical injuries he endured on missions, but any mental ones as well. She had been there when Obito died, when Rin 'left' and when Arashi had given up his life. She was there, if only just holding him.

He sighed again as Naruto's and Sasuke's competition got a lot louder; they really were a crazy bunch. "Ma ma… this isn't where I though I would find you, Kashi." Before he could turn around to face the speaker, two slender arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Though, I _did_ expect you to be reading that disgusting porn of Jiraiya's."

His eye widened at the voice and he didn't pay attention to the three genin that were now staring at him in confusion. "Kagome…" A laugh came from behind him and she put her head on his shoulder.

"Took you long enough." Bright blue eyes blazed with mirth as she looked over the preteens watching them. "Hey, it's a Chibi-Team Arashi!" She unwound one arm to point at Naruto. "Obito." Her arm moved to Sakura. "Rin." Then Sasuke. "And last but not least, you!"

Kakashi laughed at the irritated looks on his team's faces and put his book away. "You guys can go; we're done for the day." They gave him wary glances before standing and leaving, wondering who that strange girl was.

Once they were out of sight, Kakashi reached an arm around and pulled the miko onto his lap to get a good look at her face. Kagome simply sat there smiling. He hadn't changed much, really; same messy hair, mask, and covered Sharingan eye.

Kakashi stared intently into her eyes, trying to figure out what had changed about her. She had obviously had to get stronger, her lean muscles said as much, but her eyes seemed a little dimmed, and he could see that she had seen lots of bloodshed. "Besides the fact that you're older, nothing has changed; I'm still taller than you." He wouldn't mention the change in her eyes, because it was the same change in his own.

The miko stuck out her tongue causing the jounin to laugh. She really was the same old Kagome. He tilted his head down to lean against hers. "Not that I'm unhappy to see you or anything, but what are you doing here?"

She shifted so her back was to his chest and leaned back knowing that he wouldn't let her fall. "Does it matter? I'm home again, and I'm not leaving, so you're stuck with me whether you like it or not."

Kakashi chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

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AN: Here's this one! Thank you all for reviewing and please leave me a review with the usual: your thoughts and anything you may want me to write.

Coming up is: Kagome and Deidara, Kagome and Team 7, Kagome and Little Adventure, Kagome and Neji, Kagome and Lee, Kagome and Naruto, and Kagome and Itachi. It should be in that order.


	23. Differences Don't Matter

Differences Don't Matter

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome watched the bird fly over her and across the sun. _That isn't a normal bird…_ It was pretty high up, but it looked like it wasn't, telling her that it was too big to be a normal bird. She shrugged and continued trying to figure out where she was. 

The miko cursed Inuyasha for the umpth time as she sat on the edge of the well. This was _not_ the Sengoku Jidai, nor was it Tokyo, so she was at a loss as to where she was. Why was she cursing her hanyou companion? That was easy, 'Anything that does wrong,' Shippo had once told her, 'blame it on the hanyou.' It actually worked in making her feel better, too.

She sighed and looked back toward the sky. She narrowed her eyes as she saw that the bird was _still_ there. Unless it was a giant vulture that thought that she was its next meal, it should have left and gone on its merry way by now.

She pulled out her bow and an arrow and took aim at the vulture. She was _not_ lunch, although it might be. She released the arrow, allowing some of her miko ki to leak into it. After a minute and a flash of light, she watched as clay fell from the sky, accompanied by a blonde in a red and black cloak.

Said blonde was currently cursing up a storm while she merely arched an eyebrow in an indifferent manner that would have made Sesshomaru proud. "What the hell was that for, un?!"

Kagome focused on the one blue eye that she could see and shrugged. "It wasn't a bird I was familiar with, and I've learned that it's better to be safe than sorry." The blonde scowled a little but didn't reply as he looked her over.

"If that's true, then why aren't you wearing any armor, un?"

Kagome blinked and let her mask of indifference fall as she thought over that. "I don't know… I'll have to ask Sesshomaru-sensei about that… once I find a way back that is…" She grumbled the last part and cursed Inuyasha again. "Do you know of a place where I could restock my supplies?"

The blonde watched her for a moment, seeing if she was a possible threat, before shrugging and turning away. "Sure; follow me, un." The miko picked up her pack and followed him, mentally creating a map so she would be able to get back to the well. "My name is Deidara, un."

The miko smiled. "I'm Kagome."

* * *

"Dei-kun!" Kagome laughed as she tried to stop the tickle attack sent at her by her companion. "Alright! I give!" The blonde Akatsuki member grinned and sat back, letting her sit up. It was a little over three months since they had first met, and Kagome was still trying to find a way back through the well. 

She had almost made it, but Deidara's partner, Sasori, had been killed and she didn't want to leave him like that. She had met his new partner, Tobi, and could understand why Dei was often time frustrated when he came to see her. She smiled at him as he turned to lay his head in her lap.

He was a good friend to her, teaching her about chakre and even some jutsu for when she _did _go back. In turn, she kept him company when he wasn't off on a mission of some sort and calmed him down when dealing with Tobi became too much.

"Ne, Kagome-chan?" She came out of her thoughts to look down at the blonde in her lap. "If you go back to wherever you come from, will you come visit, un?" She blinked but smiled and ran her hand through his bangs.

"If I can. I'm still needed back there, more than I am here, but you and Tobi are here, so once I'm finished there, I'll do everything I can to come back." Deidara seemed to accept that, but he had scowled slightly when Tobi was included.

He shifted into a more comfortable position and allowed his mind to drift a little. "I'll miss you while you're gone, un. No one will be here to keep me from killing Tobi, un." She giggled and he paused a moment in thought. "Then again, that might not be such a bad thing, un."

Kagome laughed and could just imagine his masked partner crying out, _"But Deidara-sempai! Tobi is a good boy!"_ Tobi reminded her a little of Rin; they were both childish and referred to themselves in the third-person. But, of course, Tobi had the ability to kill, while Rin wouldn't harm a fly, she left that to Sesshomaru.

She noticed that Deidara had drifted off to sleep, though she knew that his senses were alert for any possible danger; he was still a criminal, after all. She smiled down at him and pet his hair. She would miss him too, so she promised herself that she would defeat Naraku as quickly and efficiently as possible as she could with his training then finish her training under Sesshomaru.

_I want to be able to help him when I come back, not just sit around and wait for him. I wouldn't be any better than Inu-baka says I am then._ She leaned back onto one of her hands and watched the clouds. _It's strange; he's a criminal and I'm a priestess… Our roles are so different, _we're_ different, but that doesn't matter._

* * *

AN: Yay! DeiKag! XD I love it. Thank you all for reading! Please leave me a review with your thoughts and _reasonable_ requests.

Coming up: Kagome and Team 7, Kagome's little adventure, Kagome and Neji, Kagome and Lee, Kagome and Naruto, Kagome and Itachi, Kagome and Kakashi. Not all of these are real pairings, some of them are just friendship.


	24. Observing

Observing

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome sat under the stars, just staring at the sky. "It's beautiful tonight." She sighed and leaned into the tree she was in, lowering her eyes to the ground where the team she was accompanying slept… well, _they_ were accompanying _her_, but she didn't care. 

A boy with spiky blonde hair laid sprawled out, limbs stretched out to take up as much room on the ground as possible. Naruto, if she remembered correctly, was snoring quite loudly for a ninja. He had a carefree attitude that reminded her of her son, though he could be deadly serious if the occasion called for it.

A girl with short pink hair laid curled up a little ways away from him, closer to the other boy. Sakura seemed to be the epitome of peace and innocence with her hands curled under her chin. The miko had to resist the urge to snort. That innocence wouldn't last long, hers hadn't, though she still clung to a tiny piece of it.

The teacher of the group was lying on his back with his hands behind his head and his porn novel on his face. Kagome smiled slightly at Kakashi, thinking about how he reminded her of Miroku, though he didn't go around groping women, which was a good thing, because with some of the kunoichi she had seen, namely the Snake-Charmer, Anko, he wouldn't live long.

The last one was a boy with black hair and ebony eyes. Sasuke's holier-than-thou attitude reminded her so much of Sesshomaru that she just wanted to smack him for bringing up those painful memories, though that would definitely put her on Sakura bad side and Naruto's good side… maybe she should do just that. She had made a game of taunting him to get a rise out of him, if only to prove to herself that he wasn't her taiyoukai. Sesshomaru would turn her taunts into banter and they would enjoy each other's company; not so with the Uchiha.

Kagome sighed and turned back to the stars. She would let her watch last the rest of the night; there was no way that she would be able to sleep. It occurred to her that she would be tired when traveling, but she shrugged it off; if she _really_ got tired, she would just make Kakashi carry her.

* * *

AN: Short, yes, but aren't all drabbles? I like this one. Thank you all for reading and please leave me a review!

Coming up: Kagome and a Little Adventure, Kagome and Neji, Kagome and Lee, Kagome and Naruto, Kagome and Itachi, Kagome and Kakashi, Kagome and Naruto, Kagome and Yondaime. I will repeat that not all of these are pairings, some of them are just friendship.


	25. Little Adventure

Little Adventure

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome shifted uncomfortably in her seat. What was she supposed to tell these people? That she used to travel through time and that her portal messed up and dumped her here?_ Yeah right, like they'll believe that one._ She glanced around the room. The silver-haired man was giving his report on the 'mission' to a blonde woman while his three students were surrounding her, making sure that she couldn't escape. _Like I could. Where the hell would I go?_

She had come out of the well expecting to be in Tokyo, (which was _not_ where she was,) and was met with the sight of their team fighting a larger group of people. She didn't know what each side fought for so she stayed back… until someone attacked her. Without thinking of the consequences, (Sesshomaru would kill her for that,) she had dispatched her attacker easily.

Once she realized what she did, she had stared at her katana in horror, thinking that it would cost her, her life, but it actually saved it. The blonde student, Naruto, said that if she killed the enemy, that meant that she was an ally, right? Kakashi, the teacher, accepted it and they protected her when she dropped the katana as if burned.

She had been careful from then on to appear as if she had fallen down the well, hit her head and lost her memory. It worked on them, but she doubted that it would work on the Hokage, or Obaa-chan as Naruto called her, even when Sakura hit him over the head. Kakashi had mentioned a jutsu, (whatever that was,) that would return one's memories, so she was worried that they would see through her façade.

She was brought out of her thoughts by Kakashi coming over to her followed by the blonde who smiled kindly. The miko smiled back hesitantly and waited for her to do this 'jutsu.'

Tsunade, as Kagome remembered Sakura calling her, made a few strange signs with her hands and was about to place her hands on Kagome's head when a large pulse of energy nearly knocked them off of their feet. "What the hell?"

Naruto seemed unfazed by the energy and had his eyes closed in concentration. The older ninjas in the room looked at him warily as his eyes opened, eliciting a gasp from everyone. His once cerulean irises were now emerald green.

He gave Kagome a wide grin that reminded her of her kitsune son. "As much as I want you to stay here, you're still needed by your… other son." The miko's eyes widened, as did everyone else when a faint shadow covered him in the form of a man with red hair and nine long fox tails.

"Ky-Kyuubi!"

"Shippo…"

He blinked and turned his head to face the tense shinobi around them. "Oh… I forgot about you all." He gave another grin and rubbed the back of his head a little awkwardly. "Uh… First of all, this is a once-in-a-life-time thing; if I do this more than once, it'll kill Kit and me, and I don't feel like dying. Secondly… Well, I can't do this for long, so I might as well finish this."

The shinobi around her tensed, but Kagome was still shocked that this was Shippo, _her_ little Shippo. He did some hand signs like Tsunade had done and she began to glow. He gave her a faint smile and finished the last sign. "Aishiteru, Okaa-chan." She disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Naruto to collapse.

* * *

"Okaa-chan!" Kagome turned around to face Shippo, now twelve, and Artemis, now five, running toward her, followed closely by Artemis's father, Sesshomaru. "You're back early!" 

Kagome laughed and hugged them as they barreled into her. "Well, I didn't exactly go home; I had a little adventure that I'll tell you about later." She smiled up at her mate who raised a questioning eyebrow. "Later."

* * *

AN: There we go! I won't be able to update for a week or so, gomen ne. I didn't like this one as much, but oh well. We'll see what you guys think. Thank you for reading and please leave a review! (PS. I'm sorry, but I don't do KagomeHidan, gomen nazai.)

Coming up: Kagome and Neji, Kagome and Lee, Kagome and Naruto, Kagome and Itachi, Kagome and Kakashi, Kagome and Naruto, Kagome and Yondaime. I will repeat that not all of these are pairings, some of them are just friendship.


	26. Mercenary

Mercenary

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Neji cursed darkly as he blocked a barrage of kunai that had been thrown at him. _I loathe ambushes…_ He and his team had gotten separated by an ambush of Oto-nin and even he was hard-pressed to hold them off. He cursed again when a kunai grazed his cheek. 

He saw another barrage coming from either side of him and quickly used his Kaiten to block them. He was completely on the defensive right now; they hadn't even left him room to use his Jyuuken.

He stopped spinning only to be faced with a barrage of shuriken followed shortly by ten nin. He cursed again and tried to use his Kaiten again, but his feet wouldn't move and he collapsed. "Damn it…" He had used too much of his chakre on his mission, and now he had none left for his fight.

He waited for the impact, but there was nothing. He forced his head up to see a girl with long black hair holding a barrier around both of them. She was wearing an old-style kimono and had a katana at her side. "Are you alright?"

He could only nod in reply through his shock. The barrier reached all around them in a perfect sphere and he had never seen anything like it. The girl smiled at him over her shoulder and stepped through the barrier. The ANBU captain's shock continued to rise as he watched her fight off his attackers with not only her sword, but also with whips seemingly made of light that came from her fingertips.

Within minutes, the enemies that he had been struggling to defend himself against were laying lifelessly on the ground. The girl looked around the clearing again before letting the barrier fall and walking toward him. "You're sure that you're alright?"

Neji shook his head lightly to clear it before nodded as confidently as he could. "Yes, thank you." He made to stand again, but fell over, causing the girl to raise an eyebrow in amusement. He scowled at showing weakness to someone he didn't trust.

He started to push himself up again, and finally he did, but not without her help. She pulled his arm over her shoulders and placed one arm around his back to steady him. Neji looked to her questioningly, but she only smiled. "Where to?"

He smiled gratefully at her and nodded in the direction where he had been separated from his team. "What is your name, Shinobi-sama?" Apparently, she wasn't one to stay quiet for long, but for some reason, it didn't bother him for once.

"Hyuuga Neji, and yourself?" She turned bright blue eyes to him and smiled.

"Higurashi Kagome." He gave her a small nod and tried to maintain his calm mask, his worry for his team, however, somehow leaked through and Kagome quickened their pace a little, but not so much that it would strain him. "How many were on your team?"

"Five including myself, but my guess is that I was the target, seeing as I'm a Hyuuga." His companion gave an understanding hm, but he could help but feel that she had _no_ idea what he was talking about. "What village are you from?"

"Uh…" Kagome gave and short laugh and shrugged. "I'm not really from anywhere; I just wonder around." The ANBU captain looked at her in disbelief and opened his mouth to say something but she beat him to it. "My sensei lived west of here and he taught me all I know. I never really bothered to settle down in one place after my training. As for why I helped you, because I could."

Neji watched her fro a moment before turning back to face where they were going as they reached a clearing where his team was still fighting. With a flick of her wrist, Kagome cut down the enemies and returned her hand to holding Neji upright. "Is everyone okay?"

"Captain!" Neji's team raced over in panic but calmed down when Neji waved them off. "Captain, we all only have minor injuries; it seems that you were their target." The Hyuuga nodded and ordered them to start toward Konoha while Kagome continued to help him.

* * *

Neji could walk on his own by the time they reached Konoha, but he kept his arm around Kagome's shoulders 'just in case'. She didn't mind much, in fact she ignored it; she was more focused on their surroundings even after they had passed the gates. If there was one thing that Sesshomaru was strict about, it was never letting your guard down. 

Her companions led the way to the Hokage's office as she looked at the village around her. It was fairly peaceful and she couldn't help but admire the five faces carved into the cliff.

They entered a tower and there was instantly a cry of "Neji!" Kagoem blinked and watched impassively as a kunoichi with twin buns on her head came running over to them with a worried look on her face. "Are you alright?"

Neji nodded to the girl, causing her sigh in relief before she looked to Kagome as if she had just realized that she was there. "Tenten, this is Kagome. We ran into each other on my mission and she saved my life."

Tenten nodded in gratitude to her, but the miko could see that her eyes were warning her to stay away from Neji. Feeling mischievous, Kagome arched an eyebrow and leaned into Neji's hold on her shoulders subtly. She had to hide a smirk when the kunoichi became rigid and she glared at her, no doubt wishing she would burst into flames on the spot.

Neji seemed to sense his former teammates growing rage and began to lead Kagome to see the Hokage. His team had dispersed upon reaching the tower so he was soon able to talk to the girl at his side without anyone overhearing. "You shouldn't have done that; Tenten is very… protective."

The miko snorted as they walked up a flight of stairs. "I think a better word would be possessive. Beside, after all I've been through, she doesn't scare me." _If I can take out a score of powerful youkai without Sesshomaru's help, I can take out one kunoichi._

The Hyuuga looked skeptical, but he didn't push her on it anymore as they stopped in front of a set of double doors. "We're here."

* * *

Kagome was_ bored,_ even if it was her that Neji and the Godaime were discussing. She stared out the window, only catching snippets of the conversation. "Kagome?" She turned back to the Hokage, gesturing for her to continue. "I would like to offer you a place as a Konoha shinobi; with the war, we need all the help we can get." 

Kagome's mind flashed to the two little girls that had tried to steal weapons from Sango's village then to a confident smirk set in a tanned face with a blue star framed with ebony locks pulled back into a braid. She blinked in confusion while appearing to consider the offer. Why was she thinking about the head of the mercenary group that had caused them so much trouble? (Though he _was_ gorgeous like her sensei.)

"I'm afraid I can't accept, Tsunade-sama. _But,_" she quickly added at the disappointed looks on the leader's face and in the Hyuuga's eyes. "I _will_ take you on as a client to a mercenary." She smiled at their shocked faces. "I intend to continue traveling, but I will stay and help you as long as you need me."

Tsunade smirked as she leaned back. "And as long as I pay you, right?"

Kagome smirked back and shrugged. "A girl's got to make a living somehow."

Neji watched her with veiled fascination. This girl was powerful and could probably do whatever she wanted, yet she chose to live a simpler life and went out of her way to help him. A smirk crossed his face as Tsunade accepted then offered to take the younger woman out for a drink. He couldn't wait to spend more time with this mercenary.

* * *

AN: Okay, I got some semi-complaints about having Shippo be Kyuubi and Sesshomaru be Kagome's lover, and I'm sorry if I'm usiong that a lot, but I love those ideas and they seem to fit well. I'll try to let ou on that, but in a couple of them, Kyuubi WILL be Shippo, whether you guys like it or not, so, gomen.

Coming up: Kagome and Lee, Kagome and Naruto, Kagome and Itachi, Kagome and Kakashi, Kagome and Naruto, Kagome and Yondaime. I will repeat that not all of these are pairings, some of them are just friendship.


	27. Never Change

Never Change

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

"Kagome-chan!" The miko couldn't help but smile at her exuberant friend's excitement. Lee bounded over in his usual green and with his bright smile, literally. "How are you on this beautiful morning? Now doubt your flames of youth are burning brightly!" 

Kagome chuckled at the miniature Green Beast of Konoha's antics. According to him, she had the brightest flames of youth in the whole village, second only to his Sakura-san of course. "I'm fine, Lee-kun. How about you? Already had your training with Gai-san?"

His eyes burned and he pumped his fist into the air. "Hai! Gai-sensei and I ran our laps around the village and have down a light spar!" Kagome understood that this meant that they had run around Konoha at least three hundred times and sparred for about three straight hours, but she just smiled.

He really was a great friend, and she had promised to try to open up Sakura's eyes to his affections. If he was a little more subdued, she would possibly have established romantic feelings for him herself, but she wouldn't ask him to change; she would never ask anyone to change, not after what it did to her.

"Kagome-chan? Your flames of youth flickered for a moment; are you alright?" Kagome blinked and looked into her friend's worried round eyes. This wasn't the first time that he had caught her reminiscing on the past, and he always said the same thing. It was really amazing to her how he would understand her feelings as well as he did.

The miko smiled kindly at him and nodded. "Hai; I'm fine." She watched him smile back for a moment before she reached out and hugged him. Surprised by her actions, he looked down at her, puzzled, and set his hands on her shoulders in an attempt at comfort.

Kagome let a few tears escape from her eyes as she buried her face into his vest. She had been so desperate to please the others, her so-called friends, that she had allowed them to change her into someone completely different. Luckily, Sesshomaru had kidnapped her then set her straight with one statement, _'You are not longer the miko who gained this Sesshomaru's respect.'_ She had left them then, discovering a new side to the well, and meeting Lee.

"Ne, Lee-kun?" She felt his head tilt to the side and she pulled back with a smile. "Now matter what happens, never change, okay?"

* * *

AN: There's my small LeeKag. I know some of you guys are disappointed that it wasn't a real pairing, and I'm sorry for that, but this is about the best that I could do, and I liked the way that it turned out. Thank you all for reading!

Coming up: Naruto and Kagome, Itachi and Kagome, Kakashi and Kagome, Naruto and Kagome, Yondaime and Kagome, Deidara and Kagome.


	28. Not All Demons

Not All Demons

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

"Naruto?" The blonde looked up from his training to see a girl with black hair and blue eyes smiling at him. "I brought lunch, just like I promised." He grinned and darted over, ignoring how his body tried to oppose the action, eager to eat her cooking.

He heard her laugh when he tripped slightly in his hurry to reach her and smiled. He loved her laugh, especially after he found that it would brighten up his day after the hell that was Jiraiya's training. He was about two years into his training and he could already tell that he was getting stronger, but not strong enough to bring back Sasuke.

He looked over her shoulder at the food she was setting out and pouted playfully. "Aw… no ramen!" Another thing he loved was to tease his companion; she was so easy to rile and her reactions always made him feel strange. Sometimes he was amused, sometimes he felt loved.

"Baka! You need more nutrition than what just ramen can give you!" This was once of the times he felt like both. The flushed looked on her face and the flash in her sapphire eyes amused not only him, but Kyuubi as well, and her short lectures proved that she cared about him.

"Hai, hai; I understand, Kagome-chan." His grin because even wider at the blush elicited by his familiar suffix. He had persuaded Jiraiya to stay in this town longer than planned so he could stay with Kagome more. Surprisingly, it hadn't been as hard as he thought; all he had to do was mention Kagome's name and Jiraiya had smiled and agreed, not even bothering to make a perverted comment.

The kitsune jinchuuriki happily ate the food she had brought. In his mind, the only other food that came close to hers was Ichiraku's ramen. Not only was her food good, but Kyuubi approved of her as a friend or more whereas he had loudly protested a relationship with Sakura.

"Ne, Naruto?" He swallowed his food and looked at her questioningly, making it a point to be more polite around her; she deserved it in his opinion. Kagome wasn't looking at him, however, she was staring at the ground. "Do you believe in demons?"

Naruto looked at her in shock; how was he supposed to answer that?! He heard Kyuubi curse in his mind and advise him to keep his trap shut since this was a touchy subject for her. For once, he followed the nine-tails' advice and just waited for her to continue.

She glanced at him before looking back at the ground. "I used to fight them all the time, but I learned something more important than just killing techniques during that time…" Naruto held still, terrified that she would turn against him if she learned of his… tenant. "I learned something very few people could ever understand, much less accept." Her voice was soft and a small smile crossed her features. "I learned that not all youkai are bad."

The jinchuuriki was now openly gaping at her. That was _not_ what he had expected her to say. "Take the Kyuubi for example," both he and the Kyuubi stiffened. "I know for a fact that he isn't evil." She looked at him and smiled at the question written there. "He used to be such a sweet kit… I refuse to believe that he changed as much as people think."

It took him a minute to actually be able to form words through his shock. "B-But… He attacked Konoha! How do you explain that!?" Inside him, the focus of their conversation was in silent awe of the girl in front of them. A gentle smile crept across his face; she truly hadn't changed at all.

Kagome leaned back onto her hands and watched the clouds with a smile on her face. "I don't know what his reasons are, but I'm sure that they're just, after all…" She turned to him with a smile that made his heart skip. "I raised him better than that."

Kyuubi laughed as his vessel resembled a fish. _**Don't look so surprised, Gaki; why do you think I approved of her for you so much?**_ The fox could see the question on Naruto's face clearly and laughed again, causing Naruto to realize that the laugh wasn't malicious. _**Time-travel, Gaki. She used to travel all the time, then she came here and stopped, now… here we are.**_

The jinchuuriki sat back on his hands, taking a long time to process all this new information. "So… you wouldn't be hostile to demon vessels?" He heard her laugh again as she shook her head. A bubbly feeling welled up inside of him that he quickly figured out was pure happiness. "So you wouldn't hate me if I told you that… I'm Kyuubi's jinchuuriki?"

"Of course not!" She smiled at him and leaned closer to look him in the eyes. "I already knew that he was sealed inside of you; you act too much like he did as a child."

He blinked when Kagome seemed to realize how close they were and pulled back, blushing furiously. He smiled at her cuteness and gave into Kyuubi's prodding. Turning around, he lay down so that his head laid in her lap, and the blush that she had just gotten under control returned with a vengeance.

He grinned at her and closed his eyes to take a nap before returning to his training. Naruto didn't catch the fond smile crossing his 'pillow's' face, though his sensei did while taking a few notes from behind a tree. Jiraiya didn't linger, however; he walked away trying to think of a way to get this strange girl to come with them. Not only was she beautiful, but she kept Kyuubi in check.

Kyuubi watched his two 'precious people', as Kit would call them, fondly. **_Finally, Gaki has someone he can count on, not Pinky who will no doubt go back to the Uchiha once they actually bring him back._**

**_

* * *

_**

AN: Yay! I liked this one! There will be a sequel to this one, because I just can't resist. Thank you for reading and please leave a review and maybe a request, but please no more Hidan, Kakuzu, Leader, Zetsu, etc. I don't know enough about them to be able to write about them properly.

Coming up: Itachi and Kagome, Kakashi and Kagome, Naruto and Kagome, Yondaime and Kagome, Deidara and Kagome, Gaara and Kagome. Not all of these are actual couples, some of them are just friendship drabbles.


	29. A Pure Lullaby

A Pure Lullaby

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, if I did, I wouldn't have to use Aniki's computer because mine keeps on crashin' on me for no reason other than to drive me insane.

* * *

Itachi sat staring at the stars from his position in his tree. If he had any less will power, he would probably be punching something, most likely his tree, to take out his frustration. But he had more self-control than that, so he simply sat in the branches of the tree, calmly viewing the night sky.

Despite his outward appearance, 'calm' was not a word that one would use to describe his state of mind. He was frustrated and confused; the center of this unusual emotion being a simple slip of a girl. The Kyuubi vessel, Naruto, had gained a new companion. This usually wouldn't have bothered the Uchiha; no what bothered him was the fact that he could kill her. He had pinned her against a tree fairly easily while Kisame occupied the others and his kunai had been pressed against her throat to finish her, but… he had looked into her eyes and froze.

The elder Uchiha lifted a hand to massage his aching eyes gently before looking back at the stars that reminded him of hers. Sapphire orbs that burned brightly with defiance and no fear, but there was an… _understanding_ that Itachi had never seen before. He felt as if she could see straight through him and into his soul, leaving him without the barriers he had trained so hard to keep up. He found that he didn't like the feeling, though no matter how hard he had tried to kill her, his hand didn't respond to the command.

Hatake Kakashi had interfered then, saving this girl, Kagome as he recalled, from his hold and he and Kisame were forced to retreat for the time-being. He was determined to find out what about this girl called to him, kept him form killing her.

She was pretty enough and had beautiful blue eyes, but she was clearly not perfect. He had seen during their short confrontation that her body was littered with scars, though from what he couldn't tell. Kisame had mentioned that Isonade felt connected with the girl somehow but he didn't know how or why. Perhaps she was worth mentioning to the Leader, but, for some reason, the thought of her possible death was enough to stop him.

Kisame was off getting sake and drinking, so he was left alone for the night, not that he minded. Itachi sighed imperceptibly but looked up slightly as he heard a soft tune on the wind and narrowed his eyes. Somehow, he couldn't ignore it. Scowling at the idea, he stood from his tree and began to follow it. He had never believed in sirens, beings who drew their prey to them using their voices, but he was beginning to rethink that.

The voice drew him to a clearing where he saw a figure beside a waterfall. Focusing on the figure, he narrowed his eyes when he saw that it was the same girl that he had been thinking of not an hour before. Her eyes were closed and her face wore a soft smile as she sang. The song told of a beautiful but dangerous jewel and the miko and her friends who went on a journey to gather the shards and defeat the demon that wanted to use it against them.

The elder Uchiha leaned against a tree, listening to her voice; it was soothing. The song and story ended with the miko sacrificing herself for her friends, but there was no sign of her death, just her disappearance. One last verse suggested the miko's appearance in a new world. Itachi watched as she gazed up at the stars, the same ones he had previously viewed. "You are the miko, correct?"

Kagome started a little, blushing in embarrassment at being caught. She turned to smile at him though, causing him to blink in surprise. "Hai. Are you going to kill me now, Itachi-san?" The Uchiha blinked again before shaking his head and walking away, leaving her confused.

_I wouldn't be able to kill you if I tried, and I've figured out why…_ He jumped back into his tree and stared at the stars once again, but this time, there was a small smile on his face, now that his mind was at peace.

_Even a blood-thirsty criminal like me wouldn't be able to kill someone as pure as you._

* * *

AN: FYI: Isonade is the shark bijuu sealed inside of Kisame, at least, that's what I was told by a reliable source. I didn't like this one, as much, but we'll see what you think, ne? Oh, for those of you that possibly read Forgive Me If This Scars You For Life, I am REALLY sorry, but my cousin was badgering me to post it under my account since he doesn't have one, and I DID NOT WRITE IT. I'm sorry again, and please leave me with a review and maybe a request. 

Coming up: Kakashi and Kagome, Naruto and Kagome, Yondaime and Kagome, Deidara and Kagome, Gaara and Kagome, Kiba and Kagome. Not all of these are actual couples, some of them are just friendship drabbles.


	30. What Are Friends For?

What Are Friends For?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, if I did I wouldn't be using my brother's computer because mine keeps crashin' on me for no other reason than to drive me insane.

* * *

Kagome sighed as she left the Hokage Tower. Tsunade-sama was sending her on _another_ mission when she _just_ got back from the _last_ one. The black-haired jounin and miko looked over the mission scroll again; it was another long-distance, but short-term mission, meaning she wouldn't be getting much sleep for the next three days, if any at all, just like the past two weeks.

She sighed again and went to the apartment that Hatake Kakashi, her best friend, had helped her get when she first arrived in the village. She had enough money now for a better apartment, but she kept this one. It was small and in a semi-shady part of Konoha, but it was home to her, plus Kashi was nearby.

She took a cold shower to both clean off and stay awake, but it didn't get rid of her yawns. She walked out of the bathroom with only a towel on, yawning. "Hey Kashi…" It took her a moment to realize that her best friend, a _male_, was in her apartment… while she was half-naked. "Kyaa!" She whirled around, clutching at her towel to face the grinning, masked jounin. "What are you doing in here, pervert!? _How_ did you get in, for that matter?!"

Kakashi chuckled and held up a key, the key that she gave him so he could clean her house when she was on a mission, and smiled while she glared. "I heard that you were back from your mission and decided to drop by; I need an excuse to be late to meet up with Team 7 anyway."

The miko yawned, not noticing the dark look that came to his eye as she did so. "I see. Well, enjoy my company while you can; I have to leave again in…" She checked the clock on the microwave as she covered another yawn. "Fifteen minutes, and I still have to get ready. I don't plan on being late all the time like a certain someone I know." The Copy-nin had an innocent look on his face, or rather, in his eye, while she gave him a tired glare.

She turned to go to her room to get ready from the mission, taking a leaf out of Shikamaru's book and muttering something about 'troublesome missions' and 'troublesome perverted friends.' She was stopped, however, by a hand on her wrist that was turning her around. "Kashi – I have to get ready for the miss – " He pulled her flush against him and lowered his now unmasked face to hers before she could see his face, effectively cutting off whatever she had been about to say, and her air supply.

The miko was too shocked to respond to the unexpected kiss, but she felt him force something between her lips and down her throat before he pulled away. She tried to see him, but her vision became too blurry. "N-Nande? Kashi…" He caught her easily as she fell unconscious against him. He picked her up gently, frowning at how much weight she had lost; he would have to talk to her about that later.

He took her into her bedroom and laid her down before covering her up. The Hatake looked at her for a moment before taking the mission scroll for her bedside table and turning out the light, pulling his mask up. The pill he gave her would have her out for a day or so and from what he understood, she needed it.

Kakashi showed up at Team 7's meeting place at the bridge, surprising the three genin that he was barely late. "I'm covering a mission for a friend, so you guys can either take the day off, or tell Gai to train you a bit in taijutsu; I would do the latter. Ja ne." He teleported away before he could hear their protests, reappearing in front of Tsunade with a hard glare.

"What exactly were you think when you assigned Kagome this mission?" He threw the scroll on her desk, surprising everyone in the room at his harsh behavior. "With the condition she's in, she could last a day!"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the Copy-nin. "You would have been able to take care of it, and since she is the same rank as you, she should too."

Kakashi slammed his hands on her desk. "Kagome's body is weak and is continuously growing weaker from the strain of your missions and keeping that damned jewel pure; mine isn't, so don't compare her to me." His voice was a dangerous growl that reminded the Godaime of the nin-dogs that he summoned. "So unless you wasn't the wrath of the Gobi-no-Hokou hanging over our heads, _plus_ that bloody jewel tainted, I _highly_ suggest you do what is best for the _village,_ and. Give. Her. A. _Break."_

The Hokage could only glare at him as he picked the scroll up again and walked toward the door. "I'm taking up this mission, since it seems to be _so_ important." His voice dripped with sarcasm and a few people in the room suppressed a shiver; it was hard to remember sometimes just who Kakashi was with his normally cheerful attitude, shows like the one they just witnessed were painful reminders: he was Sharingan Kakashi, former ANBU and a deadly killer.

* * *

The Copy-nin walked through the streets of Konoha, intent on reaching Kagome's apartment to check on her. He had finished the mission on schedule, but it still wore him out, so Tsunade's theory had gone down the drain. It hadn't helped any that he ran into the being he had threatened the Hokage with on the way back. When he reported Kagome's condition, the Gobi had been… less than pleased, proving that Kakashi's threat had been valid.

He was going up the steps of the apartment building when he heard a shout. "Kakashi!" He sighed and jumped the rest of the way up the steps just as Kagome opened her apartment door, face flushed with fury. "You- You…" He looked at her innocently as he walked forward. "Arg!" She put her head down and shook it in exasperation. "Thank you…" If he hadn't been so close to her, he wouldn't have heard it.

He smiled and led her back into the apartment. "What are friends for?" _There's no way I'm telling her how I felt about that kiss; I'm supposed to be just a friend after all…_

* * *

AN: XD Poor Kakashi. I love this one! Thank you all for reading and please leave me with a review and maybe a request!

Coming up: Naruto and Kagome, Yondaime and Kagome, Deidara and Kagome, Gaara and Kagome, Kiba and Kagome. Not all of these are actual couples, some of them are just friendship drabbles.


	31. Need to Help

Need to Help: Sequel to Not All Demons

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha, if I did, I wouldn't have to use my brother's computer because mine keeps crashin' on me for no other reason than to drive me insane.

* * *

Naruto sighed as he, Sakura, Sai and Yamato walked into Konoha after trying to bring back Sasuke. He still wasn't strong enough. Kyuubi was quiet as well, had been since they left Kagome-chan behind a year ago, though he still helped with training. 

Everyone in the village had been shocked when he hadn't tried to go out with Sakura since he got back with Jiraiya. The Frog Sannin had honored Naruto's request to stay quiet about the miko since they hadn't been able to take her with them.

The jinchuuriki sighed again but felt Kyuubi perk up inside his cage. _Kyuubi?_ He didn't receive a reply, but he heard a voice calling his name, catching everyone's attention. _Who…_ A figure came into view, long black hair flowing behind her and blue eyes blazing. A grin broke across his face and he ran toward her. "Kagome-chan!"

He caught her in a hug, both of them laughing and ignoring the stares directed at them. Kagome hugged him back, allowing some of her ki to flow into him, relaxing him and connecting with her son. "I missed you!"

Naruto laughed and pulled back. "And I've missed your cooking!" He grinned when she hit him lightly on the arm even though there was a smile on her face. "How did you get here?"

The miko smiled brightly, barely glancing at the people that came up behind him. "Jiraiya-san brought me; he said you were in trouble or something, but it doesn't look like you are." Naruto smiled and looked at the white-haired Sannin leaning against a nearby building, nodding his head in thanks. Jiraiya just grinned back and walked away, thinking about using his student and his girlfriend as the inspiration for his next book.

"Well, I'm not really in trouble, but…" His mood darkened a little and he looked to the side. "We weren't able to bring Sasuke back…"

Kagome put her hand on his shoulder and calmed him again with her ki, smiling softly. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean that you give up." He looked into her kind sapphire eyes, waiting for her to continue. "If there's some good in _Kyuubi_, there _has_ to be _something_ worth saving in the Uchiha."

The three people behind her friend seemed shocked at her point of view, but Naruto just smiled and nodded. Happy that he wasn't upset anymore, she grabbed his hand. "Now, come on, you look like you haven't eaten all day." He gave a cheer and began dragging her down the streets.

* * *

Kagome watched Naruto as he trained. His friends had been wary of her, which irritated Naruto and Kyuubi to no end. Tsunade had welcomed her readily enough, but that was probably because Jiraiya put in a good word for her. She giggled as Naruto sparred with his kage bunshin; he really was a character, but then, so was Shippo. 

She saw the team he had come into Konoha with walking onto the training field but didn't do anything; she didn't even know them, so she wouldn't interrupt. Naruto's bunshin continued to spar while he detached himself from them and walked to meet them. Her eyes narrowed as the pink-haired girl began to argue with him angrily, pointing at the miko on occasion.

Kagome looked away, feeling guilty. She had come to try to help Naruto, not cause him to fight with his teammates. Her head shot back up when she heard a loud smack. Naruto's head was tilted to the side and the girl was breathing heavily. Even Naruto's bunshin had stopped sparring to watch now.

With a start, the miko felt Shippo's energy begin rising up furiously. _Baka,_ she thought as she started running over. The two males behind 'Pinky' looked shocked to see her run up and wrap her arms around the now glowing Naruto. "Calm down; she's not worth it."

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but Sai put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. The chakre that had been bubbling up around Naruto died down and he sighed, placing a hand over hers. "I'm fine." He held Kagome's hands in place around his neck while staring at Sakura in an indifferent manner that reminded her of their wayward teammate. "You know here to find me if you need me."

He dispelled his bunshin then began to lead Kagome away, leaving his temporary team in shock.

* * *

"What made you two so mad?" They were on top of the Yondaime's head, Kagome leaning against her best friend's shoulder. 

Naruto sighed and put his arm around her shoulders. "She blamed our failure on me, blah blah blah… the usual, plus an insult to you accented by a slap across the face." The jinchuuriki tried to make it not seem as bad as it had been; he didn't want to her find out what Sakura had said about her, because she was most definitely _not_ a whore using him to get closer to Sasuke.

"Naruto?" He looked down at her, becoming wary the moment he saw the determined look on her face. "I'm coming with you next time you go after Sasuke."

"NANI!?" Everyone in Konoha stopped what they were doing to look up questioningly at the yell. Naruto looked at her as if she had grown a second head, bat wings, claws and a tail while her expression didn't change. "You can't be serious; you'll be killed!" _Come on, Kyuubi; give me a had here!_

_**Sorry, Gaki, but if I know, 'Kaa-chan, and I **_**do**_**, she isn't going to back down, no matter **_**what**_** we say.**_

"I am _very_ serious, Naruto." His eyes focused on her bright sapphire orbs and he could already feel his resolve crumbling. "Sasuke seems to mean a lot to you, and I want to help bring him back." She was able to read the argument he was about to give and countered it before he even opened his mouth. "I'm about to protect myself, you know; I _was_ trained by a taiyoukai."

The jinchuuriki tried to think of something to persuade her out of it, but only ended up resembling a fish. Finally, he sighed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her onto his lap. "Fine, you can come, but if you get into a situation where you even think that you might get killed, you get out of there, okay?"

She relaxed against him, despite the blush now coloring her cheeks and stared out at Konoha with him. "Hai." The two stayed there for a while longer, just enjoying the sunset and the other's company.

* * *

Sasuke stared indifferently at the group before him. Tsunade apparently had approved _another_ retrieval mission and they had managed to find him again. Yamato, Sai, Sakura and Naruto were here again, but there was another girl with them. While the others' eyes were trained on him, hers were focused solely on the orochi-teme at his side. 

"It's good to see you again, Sai-kun, Sakura-chan, Naruto-kun." The younger Uchiha felt his fist clench slightly at the familiar suffixes Orochimaru gave to his former teammates. "But you have yet to introduce your newest companion."

Sasuke eyes narrowed fractionally as Naruto tensed and his cerulean blue eyes flashed red. The black-haired girl lifted her head slightly higher and met the Snake Sannin's gaze unflinchingly. "Higurashi Kagome; your executioner."

Before anyone could even comment, she was in front of the snake. Using his moment of shock, she planted her hands on the ground and lifted her legs to deliver a series of kicks to his chest and head. He fell to the ground several yards back and the girl was already half-way back to Naruto, who, Sasuke noted, had a small, proud smile on his face as he watched Kagome work.

The miko pulled out a rosary of sorts and threw it. Her audience could only watch in awe as the beads fell apart and formed and circle about a meter above the ground around the recovering Orochimaru. Kagome placed one hand in front of her in a prayer-like manner and began to chant under her breathe. The beads began to glow and a barrier appeared when the Sannin hissed, trying to get out.

Sasuke watched Kabuto try to attack the girl, but a flow of red chakre flung him away, effectively stopping him. Sharingan eyes turned to Naruto who hadn't seemed to move, but his eyes were now a dark purple.

Kagome finished her chant and open her eyes, watching in morbid fascination as Orochimaru shrieked, turning to dust with the beads in a flash of light.

Sasuke stood still a moment, not letting any of his whirling emotions show on his face as Naruto turned to him with a small, regretful smile on his lips. "Well, what now, Sasuke-teme? Orochimaru is gone, and I doubt that you're strong enough to face Itachi yet." The Uchiha glared lightly at his best friend, but he truly didn't know what to do. He had planned on leaving Orochimaru before he tried to take his body again, but he hadn't planned on anything after that.

Kagome watched the exchange quietly before turning to face the Uchiha. "You know, Sasuke-san, Naruto is getting stronger in Konoha, and from my experience, it's easier to beat an enemy with the help and power of a friend beside you." She read the defenses falling in his eyes and played her last card. "Besides, didn't this Itachi get as strong as he is _in Konoha?"_

"Hn." She smiled as the Uchiha walked forward to stand beside Naruto. She flitted to the jinchuuriki's side and leaned against him while he unconsciously put an arm around her shoulders and argued with his best friend. She hadn't fought that quickly or used that powerful of a purification spell in a long time, so she was tired out… or was she just rusty? She would have to fix that.

_Oh well, it worked._ She watched the group interact with Sasuke and smiled. _Aniki-sensei was right: I'll always give into that innate need to help others._

* * *

AN: There's the sequel, and I love it! XD Thank you all for reading and please leave me a review and maybe a request! 

Coming up: Yondaime and Kagome, Deidara and Kagome, Gaara and Kagome, Kiba and Kagome, Shikamaru and Kagome, Sasori and Kagome. Not all of these are actual couples, some of them are just friendship drabbles.

Some of you have asked for a sequel to In The West, and I have two ideas for it, so please vote on them.

1. All of Akatsuki froze as they felt the pure killing intent flooding around them; it was like nothing they had ever felt before. Inside her 'prison', Kagome's head shot up, eyes wide and lips moving in a silent word. "Sesshomaru..."

2. Itachi held Kagome's small body to his as he ran. They were finished; Akatsuki as defeated and scattered. He and a few of the others, namely Tobi, Deidara and Hidan had survived and agreed to meet somewhere, but they didn't know where they wouldn't be caught. Kagome had spoken up then, whispering faintly from having been drained saving them all from Oto. "West... as far West as you can go... follow the sunset..."

Again, please vote and I'll write whichever one wins. I also have a few idea for others, such as a Juugo and Kagome, but I don't know enough about Juugo to really write about him; if you want to tell me about him, please do so I can get the idea on paper before I loose it.


	32. Last Moments of Peace

Last Moments of Peace

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, if I did, I wouldn't have to use my brother's computer because mine keeps crashin' on my for no other reason than to drive me insane.

* * *

"Kagome?" A black-haired girl looked up to face a blonde man in a white coat with flames imprinted on the bottom. Worried blue eyes watched her as he walked over. "Are you alright? You've been… depressed today." Kagome smiled sadly at him and patted the ground beside her. 

The blonde sat and loosely wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm fine, Arashi, just worried." The miko leaned into the Yondaime's hold and watched the sun lower. "The Kyuubi is destroying everything, and I know you're going to fight it soon…" Her eyes started to water and she furiously tried to wipe the tears away.

Arashi sighed and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and setting his head on her shoulder; he knew that this was hard for her, she had already been through a lot with the jewel, Inuyasha's betrayal and everything. Kagome held back a sob and stared into the west. "If you die, I'll never forgive you, you know that, right?"

The Hokage remained silent but tightened his hold on her. The jutsu he had been researching to defeat the Kyuubi was a complicated seal, and he knew that it would take his life. "I'll never forgive you, but…" He glanced over and saw the tears streaming down her face. "I'll never stop loving you…"

She placed her head in her hands in an attempt to hide her tears, even if he had already seen them. Arashi turned her around and pushed her head into his chest, letting her cry into his robes. "Sh… It'll be okay; you'll be fine." He flinched when a stronger sob wracked through her body. He couldn't lie to her, and she knew that he hadn't included himself in the statement.

"Kag, I hate seeing you like this…" They both knew that he really wanted to say '_I don't want my last time with you to be like this_.' She calmed down anyway but still clung to him as if her life depended on it.

They sat together for the rest of the night, neither know what the next day could bring, but both content to spend the last moments of peace together.

* * *

AN: Sad, I know, but that's what came out. Drabble, oh yeah. XD Thank you for reading and please leave a review maybe a request! 

Coming up: Deidara and Kagome, Gaara and Kagome, Kiba and Kagome, Shikamaru and Kagome, Sasori and Kagome. Not all of these are actual couples, some of them are just friendship drabbles.

Some of you have asked for a sequel to In The West, and I have two ideas for it, so please vote on them.

1. All of Akatsuki froze as they felt the pure killing intent flooding around them; it was like nothing they had ever felt before. Inside her 'prison', Kagome's head shot up, eyes wide and lips moving in a silent word. "Sesshomaru..."

2. Itachi held Kagome's small body to his as he ran. They were finished; Akatsuki as defeated and scattered. He and a few of the others, namely Tobi, Deidara and Hidan had survived and agreed to meet somewhere, but they didn't know where they wouldn't be caught. Kagome had spoken up then, whispering faintly from having been drained saving them all from Oto. "West... as far West as you can go... follow the sunset..."

Again, please vote and I'll write whichever one wins. I also have a few idea for others, such as a Juugo and Kagome, but I don't know enough about Juugo to really write about him; if you want to tell me about him, please do so I can get the idea on paper before I loose it.


	33. Teamwork

Teamwork

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Naruto.

* * *

Naruto gazed out over Konoha from his favorite spot in the village: on top of the Fourth Hokage's head. It was a peaceful place, but peaceful that was far from what he was feeling now. He had just come back from the failed Sasuke Retrieval mission, and he couldn't reach Kyuubi, which was disturbing in and of itself. He wanted answers about what had happened in his mindscape; how had Sasuke gotten in, and what had be done to Kyuubi? 

"Mind if I sit with you?" He started and turned to face the bright blue eyes of his second best friend and sparring partner. He smiled slightly and nodded. She grinned and sat next to him with her back to his side so that she was leaning against his shoulder. "The sunset is really beautiful tonight, ne?"

He nodded and let her presence soothe his nerves. Kagome had come upon him and Ero-Sennin when they were traveling for his training. She had come with them after one particularly nasty fight with some Iwa-nin. She had claimed that it was safer for all of them, and that she had nothing better to do. Later, they had learned that she was looking for her family, but had no idea where to find them, so she went with them and hoped for the best.

The kitsune jinchuuriki narrowed his eyes at the red stain in the sky; it reminded him of his other best friend, and said friend's Sharingan. When they had come to Konoha after three years of traveling, he had been expecting that Kagome would stay a few days then leave to look for her family again, but she didn't. She had shaken her head and said that she had time, and that they would most likely find her before she found them anyway.

She hadn't come along on his mission with Sakura, Yamato and Sai. Now he wished that she had; she always had a way of knowing what was happening, especially when it came to him and Kyuubi.

"I wish you could have come with us…" She tilted her head back to listen to him but otherwise made no move. "You could have seen Sasuke, and probably figured out what he did to me." The girl turned her head away again and leaned against him a little more.

"I already know." Naruto snapped his head to her to see a sad smile on her face. "He sealed Kyuubi again; I think that it's a property of the Sharingan… I can't reverse it, Naruto." He slumped a little and turned back to the sunset. "I might have been able to stop it, but it's done now; you and Kyuubi have to work together to undo what he did."

The jinchuuriki sighed, his usual happy attitude gone for the night. "Then this is permanent then; the kitsune-teme would never help me."

A smirk graced Kagome's face. "He will if it's to his benefit. You have to offer him something that he would want; then he'll do whatever you ask." She felt the question he was about to ask and went ahead to answer it. "He's a kitsune, and that's just the way a kitsune's mind works. Don't tell him I said that though, he might try to change so that I can't predict him anymore."

Naruto stared at her for a moment before giving a small laugh, shaking his head. "I'll never know how you do that…"

Kagome just smirked and closed her eyes. _You wouldn't believe me if I ever told you. How could you when my answer would be that I knew him when he was a kit._ She sighed and shifted so that her head was pillowed by his shoulder. _I _had_ to understand how a kitsune's mind worked in order to keep him in line and out of Sesshomaru's hair. _She opened her eyes and allowed a fond smile to cross her face as she thought or her kit._ All he would really have to do is say that I told him to do it and Shippo would work with Naruto in a heartbeat, but what fun is that? Besides…_ She yawned and closed her eyes again, blocking out the sun in the west while Naruto draped an arm around her shoulder. _They have to learn teamwork sometime._

* * *

AN: I know, this isn't what I said would be coming up, but things got really messed up and I wrote this a long time ago but I didn't post it, so I'm posting it now. --' I apologize for all of you who were waiting for the Deidara and Kagome one. ' Please don't kill me. I'm not sure if I like this one or not, so we'll wait and see, ne? Please review with a request, maybe!

I know that the Yondaime's name is Minato KamiKaze or something like that, but I had the last oneshot typed already and I didn't want to go back and change it; forgive me for being lazy. --'

Coming up: (The order has been changed a bit and things have been moved around, so bear with me for a bit.) Deidara and Kagome, Gaara and Kagome, Sasuke and Kagome, Shikamaru and Kagome, Kiba and Kagome, Sasori and Kagome, Sasuke and Kagome. Not all of these are actual couples, some of them are just friendship or family drabbles.

Some of you have asked for a sequel to In The West, and I have two ideas for it, so please vote on them. You can vote once per update that I have this question posted; I'm trying to keep track, and at the moment, the first idea is winning.

1. All of Akatsuki froze as they felt the pure killing intent flooding around them; it was like nothing they had ever felt before. Inside her 'prison', Kagome's head shot up, eyes wide and lips moving in a silent word. "Sesshomaru..."

2. Itachi held Kagome's small body to his as he ran. They were finished; Akatsuki as defeated and scattered. He and a few of the others, namely Tobi, Deidara and Hidan had survived and agreed to meet somewhere, but they didn't know where they wouldn't be caught. Kagome had spoken up then, whispering faintly from having been drained saving them all from Oto. "West... as far West as you can go... follow the sunset..."

Again, please vote and I'll write whichever one wins. I also have a few idea for others, such as a Juugo and Kagome, but I don't know enough about Juugo to really write about him; if you want to tell me about him, please do so I can get the idea on paper before I loose it. Also, lots of you have been asking for a HidanKag, but I know next to nothing about Hidan, so you need to tell me what he's like too.

(--' The author's note is about as long as the story... I'll try not to do that next time; I know you guys don't like to listen to me ramble.)


	34. Master' Uchiha

'Master' Uchiha

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

"I'm glad you could make it, Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru's serpentine voice made a shudder overcome the Uchiha as he scowled darkly in the Sannin's direction. "I have a surprise for you, since you are growing up so quickly." 

Kabuto opened the door the three of them were standing in front of with his usual, cynical smirk. If Sasuke's control over his emotion wasn't as good as it was, he probably would have gasped once he saw what was behind the door. _I knew that they were sadistic bastards… but this is going a bit far, even for them._

A girl was chained loosely to a wall, unharmed yes, but it was the fact that she had next to no clothing on that ticked the Uchiha off. "You're giving me a worthless, weak girl. What is the point?" He knew the point, there was no mistaking it, but it wasn't one that he liked; he didn't need this!

"The girl is for you, Sasuke-kun… you can use her in_ any_ way you like." Without another word, the Sannin and his lackey left, leaving Sasuke alone with an innocent girl that didn't deserve to be there.

The Uchiha walked to the girl and knelt down on one knee in front of her. Gently taking her chin, he lifted her face so he could get a good look at her. A twinge of fury awakened in him as he took in the young features of her face. She was no older than him, but he had come willingly, she hadn't.

Her blue eyes were nearly dead of everything, light, and seemingly life as well with only a tiny flicker of annoyance. "I'm not weak." Sasuke jumped slightly at the statement, having been wondering if she was mute.

"You haven't given me proof to believe otherwise." His cold voice brought a shadow of a smile to her lips and the tiniest spark of life to her eyes. Before he could demand what she was thinking, her whole being began to glow pale blue.

Wind suddenly whipped around them both as her smile widened at his stunned expression when he pulled his hand away. The girl's hair flew around her and their clothes bellowed. The wind died just as quickly as it had come and the glow around her faded. "Is that enough proof?" He shook his head to clear it and regained his indifferent façade.

He gently took her wrist and looked at the chains. "What is your name?" He allowed his chakre to flow into the lock and focused on unlocking it. _Maybe she isn't so worthless, after all._

"Higurashi Kagome. And you?" She rubbed her wrist once it was free then allowed him to undo the chain on her other wrist. "Just so you know, you're going to have to earn my respect and I won't call you '-sama' or anything until you do."

"Uchiha Sasuke." He was a little irked that she didn't respect the Uchiha name, but as long as she didn't respect Orochimaru or Kabuto either, he could deal with it. He leaned over her to reach the chains on her ankles, not noticing the sudden blush on her face. "I don't like this anymore than you do, but for as long as we're here, you listen to me only; if anyone has a problem with it, remind them that you belong to me."

"I don't belong to anyone…" He paused slightly at her muttered statement before shifting to reach her other ankle. She was full of fire, and that was rare in a girl around him. A small smirk appeared on his face; maybe she wouldn't be as bad as he originally thought.

"So you say now, but acknowledging that you're mine will keep you alive, so save us both an argument and just go with it." He leaned back to look at her again and noticed her attire, or the lack thereof. Sighing, he slipped his own shirt off and handed it to her. It was long enough to adequately cover her, but he would still need to have some clothes prepared for her; for some reason, a scowl appeared on his face at the thought of someone else looking at her. "Come; we'll get you some clothing then see how good you are."

Kagome stood up shakily and follow after him, holding his shirt closed as they walked through the halls. She felt all the lust-filled stares she was receiving, but one glare from her new 'master' and they stopped. She bowed her head so that no one would see her soft smile. _Why do I always seem to get the silent possessive ones?

* * *

_Sasuke _had_ considered himself a master with his sword… before she had taken him out within three moves. Now he was a student again as Kagome taught him a style completely different, not to mention superior, than the one he knew. There was one condition, however… 

"Why would I do that? I'm a shinobi, not a samurai." He tried to glare a hole into the girl, but she seemed unfazed.

"It's the same thing I had to promise when I was learning, and my teacher was the greatest man I know, so I'm going to honor that." She matched him glare for glare before sighing. "Listen, when you do this, you gain more respect and, many times, the people you let live will come back to help you, if there ever is a time." She quickly added the last part, knowing that he wouldn't like the insinuation that he would need help.

Sasuke continued to glare before turning his head away. "Fine; I promise never to hit my opponent when his back is turned or when he's down." He saw a smile creep onto her face and suddenly didn't feel so opposed to making this promise.

It had been a month or so since Kagome was given to him, and she still managed to surprise him with her various abilities. He had told her that he only wanted to kill his brother, while her ambition was a bit more noble: she wanted to find her teacher's sword and keep it from those who were 'unworthy.'

Kagome had strange jutsu that he had never her of, but he taught her how to do the more common ones in exchange for his sword training. All in all, he was glad that she had been brought to him, though he would wish that it had been under better circumstances.

"Sasuke-sama!" The two stopped training to turn to the panting nin before them. "Sasuke-sama… your… old team… from Konoha is here…"

The Uchiha nodded and took a hold of Kagome's wrist, silencing her protest with a quick glare. They walked into the compound with Sasuke practically dragging her. "Sasuke – what -?"

"I'm not going to let Naruto or anyone else try to take you away from me…" He paused to look back at her then lowered his eyes to the ground. "…Part of me is afraid that you would go with them…"

Kagome watched him with wide eyes before they softened and she smiled. "You've gained my respect, Sasuke-sama." Her smile widened at the stunned look in his eyes. "It takes more than one kind of strength to admit to one's fears."

"Sasuke!" The Uchiha hid his scowl by pulling Kagome forward and half-burying his face in her hair. A few gasps were heard and he turned from a blushing Kagome with an indifferent façade. He turned to see Naruto, Sakura and that other boy, Sai, all staring in shock.

"Naruto." He nodded to the blonde after scanning the rest. "What can I do for you?" He still had his arm around Kagome's waist from a moment ago and he felt her tense. He looked down at her and slightly arched an eyebrow, knowing that she would be able to pick up on it easily.

Kagome looked up at him then began gazing around again. "There's someone else here. They're hiding it well, but they're here…" She closed her eyes and the soft blue glow from when he first saw her returned, though not as bright. Their audience gasped at the view, thought Sasuke's eyes only softened slightly.

Without warning, she turned and shot a whip into the darkness. A cry was heard with the sound of something heavy hitting the floor. Kagome retracted the chakre whip and the glow faded. "Never mind; it was just Kabuto-teme." Sasuke chuckled as cursing was heard and the Konoha-nin stood in shock.

"Kagome-chan, you shouldn't attack your allies." Kabuto stumbled into the light, holding a bad burn that stretched all the way from his should to her abdomen. "Perhaps Sasuke-kun will have to 'teach' you that lesson."

The girl glared at him while the Uchiha watched his former teammates and tightened his hold on her. "Perhaps another time, Kabuto. What did you come here for, Naruto?"

"Teme! We came to bring you back!" Naruto glared at him while shifting a curious glance to Kagome once in a while.

Before Sasuke could respond, Kagome reached up and yanked on his hair, causing her to be on the receiving end of his glare, which she promptly shrugged off. "It might not be such a bad idea; you've learned all you can from Hebi-teme, _he's _no help," she pointed to Kabuto. "And I would be coming with you anyway, so I would still be able to teach you."

Sasuke lost his glare for a moment then turned to Kabuto then Naruto. The kitsune jinchuuriki met his gaze and nodded. The younger Uchiha turned back to the girl by his side and nodded. "Take care of Kabuto."

Before the deranged medic could say anything, Kagome had crossed the distance and held her katana at his neck. Her smirk and hushed voice made him even more afraid than he was already. "My teacher was on the nine bijuu and my adopted son is the strongest of them, so don't even think of trying to fight back; you death would only be more painful."

When he didn't move, she swiftly decapitated him, making it as painless as possible. His body crumpled before her and she stood shill for a moment, no trace of her earlier smirk.

_He was evil, like Naraku, but…_ She turned and made her way back to Sasuke, who was now standing beside his old friend.

_That still doesn't change the fact that…_ Sasuke wrapped his arm around her waist comfortingly, though he didn't know what was wrong.

_He was still the first human that I've killed.

* * *

_"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura began running toward where he had fallen but stopped short when she saw Kagome offer him her hand. 

"Gomen ne, Sasuke-sama." She smiled at him as he reached up to take her hand. "I guess I went a little far, ne?" He smirked and let her pull him up. "You need to be more confident in your attacks and faster. Now, let's try again."

Sakura watched them train and walked backward to sit between Naruto and Sai again. They had traveled a long ways in the past few days, and, thankfully, they were completely out of Sound territory. Kagome had come out of the small hole in her attitude from killing Kabuto with some help from Naruto, and didn't need to rest as much as the others, though she would push Sasuke a little hard in their training to build up his own endurance.

"They're a sight to see, huh, Sakura-chan?" Naruto was focused solely on the pair in front of them, his bright eyes wide with amazement and concealed curiosity. "Kagome-chan is really amazing."

When their pink-haired companion didn't reply, Sai felt it necessary to add his opinion. "If they keep training like this, they'll be a great pair, possibly the greatest in Konoha." Sai saw her twitch and put on his fake smile. "Something the matter, Hag?"

Naruto grabbed her arm to keep her punch from hitting the former ROOT member without taking his eyes off the Uchiha and his new friend. "Oi! Teme! Kagome-chan! I think it's time to leave again!"

Kagome paused to look back at him and smiled. "Alright, Naru-chan!" She grunted when Sasuke rammed into her and they ended up rolling on the ground.

The Uchiha pinned her beneath him and smirked. "You didn't have your back turned and you weren't down."

Kagome laughed and pushed at his chest. "Yeah, yeah, I messed up, not get off." He smirked and helped her up, watching as she brushed dirt off her clothes. "Now let's go before Sakura glares a hole through my head." He chuckled and put his arm loosely around her waist. "And _that_ isn't helping."

Naruto smiled as he watched his best friend interact with the girl. As they began walking toward Konoha, he couldn't help but wonder how he, himself, seemed to know her so well; he hadn't seen her before he saw her with Sasuke._ What is it about her that makes her so familiar?_

They entered a small town on the border of Water Country and there was a single topic of the gossip throughout the whole city. "Did you hear about the sword that couldn't make a single cut to harm anyone?"

Kagome paused, bringing questioning calls from her companions and listened to the conversation. "Yeah, I heard it could bring people back from the dead and the guy who has it is offering to revive casualties from the war, at a price of cour –"

"Kagome!" Sasuke stared in shock as she placed her katana to the man's neck. _What are you doing?_

The girl turned cold blue eyes to the man who had been speaking and pressed the blade further into his neck, drawing a line of blood. "Where is the sword of which you speak?"

The man stuttered in fear. "S-Somewhere in Tea Country… A fortress b-by a waterfall to the west… That's all I know!"

Kagome pulled her katana away and sheathed it with a noncommittal hn. She walked back to Sasuke and held an emotionless mask that reminded the Uchiha of his elder brother. "Kagome, what was that about?"

She looked away for a moment before turning back to him with dead eyes, just like the first time he saw her. "Gomen nazai, Sasuke-sama, but, if this sword is what I believe it to be, it is my teacher's, and I made him a promise."

Sasuke blinked and seemed to fade back into his former self. "You'll be going after it then?"

The girl allowed some emotion into her eyes as she smiled apologetically and a little hopefully. "I have to get his sword back, I promised… I'll come straight to Konoha afterwards, but… you're welcome to come along if you like."

She turned and began walking away, leaving a shocked group behind. After a moment, Sasuke turned to Naruto and nodded. The jinchuuriki grinned and the two began to follow their dark-haired friend. Sakura ran after them for Sasuke, and Sai seemed to follow just for the hell of it.

Kagome felt them behind her and smiled. _Arigatou…_

_

* * *

_

AN: Yay! I really like this one! Okay, I'm participating in National Novel Writing Month, which is November, so I won't be writing anything new and such. Because I am so behind on what needs typed, written, posted and everything, I'm going to scrap the up coming list for now, I'll make a new one when I come back in December. All I can tell you is that, for those of you who wanted a HidanKag, there will be one, and for the sequel to In the West, I'm working on it, but don't expect it when I get back.

For those of you that want to know what National Novel Writing Month is, it's pretty much where you sign up at www . na no wri mo . org and write a story that is at least 50 thousand words in one month.

Thank you all for reading and please review!


	35. SasoriOniisama

Sasori-Onii-Sama

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

"Sasori-nii-sama?" A red-haired man turned his head to the side slightly to look down at the dark head of the eleven year old girl at his side. Garnet clashed with sapphire as their eyes met. "When are you coming home?" 

He turned away to stare at the wall of Suna over the dunes, red eyes blank. "I'm not coming home, you know that, Kagome." He didn't understand why she continued to come to him, (he had long ago stopped trying to figure out how she knew he was there at all,) at least, he didn't know why she didn't turn him in when she learned that he was Akasuna-no-Sasori, S-class missing-nin.

"Doushite?" But, no matter how annoying she may be at times, he couldn't find it within himself to kill her. "I wouldn't tell and…" Perhaps it was because she was so innocent, even in the harsh environment of Suna. "… you could help with…" She never judged him because of what he did in the past. "Onii-sama, are you listening? O_-nii-_sa-_ma…_" Or it could just be because she was willing to call him something as familiar and personal as 'brother.'

"My duty to Akatsuki is to acquire all the bijuu, one of which the Kazekage holds." He turned back to her sapphire eyes that shone with curiosity and an understanding that rocked him to his core. "Until my duty is finished, I can do nothing else."

A flash of even stronger understanding passed through her eyes and she smiled, nodding slightly. "Just be careful, okay? Gaara-sama is very powerful, even without Shukaku-chan, though he helps."

Sasori's surprise shown through his emotionless mask. "'Shukaku-_chan_'? Why are you so familiar with the Ichibi?" Garnet eyes narrowed in slight worry for her.

The girl looked back to Suna with a small frown. "Something from my memory, like it was before I was born…" Sasori frowned in confusion; it didn't make sense. "Even when Gaara-sama was in a blood rage, I was never hurt - I was actually protected; a ball of sand would form around me, keeping everything out."

She looked back up at him with uncertainty. "It's like I knew him a long time ago…"

Sasori stared down at her before setting a hand on her head in consolation. "The Kazekage will not harm me." _I will insure that._

He had no way of knowing that it wouldn't be the Kazekage, but the kunoichi that came to save him that would wound him.

* * *

Kagome watched Chiyo and Sakura fight the puppet master concern. She wanted to help him, but she would have to be taken away – she didn't have Shukaku to protect her anymore. "Onii-sama…"

She looked on in horror as he was pierced through by the puppets of his parents. "Sasori!" She clapped a hand over her mouth and ducked back around a rock._ Please don't see me…_

"Chiyo-sama, shouldn't we check that out?" Her breathe caught in her throat and she could have sworn that her heart stopped.

"No, leave it be; even Akatsuki has people who care about them, however few." She sighed in relief.

She heard their hast footsteps fading away before she ran out from behind her cover and to the red-haired man. "Onii-sama! Onii-sama!" Panic rolled through her when he didn't move. She rolled him over from where he fell. Seeing his blank eyes brought back a flood of memories that she had locked away.

Familiar bodies with the same blank look in their eyes haunted her and she held her head. Amber, green, lavender, and brown eyes stared at her blankly. "No…" Tears flowed down her face as she tried to clear the images from her head by shaking it. "No… No. No!"

Her tears fell over the fallen body as she shook. She had locked the memories of her old friends and their deaths away when she was reborn, but what Sasori had said about duty had reminded her of her own quest for the Shikon, and seeing the dead body of someone close to her brought the memories back. She curled around herself and sobbed. "No…"

The girl held herself and cried, trying to forget the images, even just push them aside. "Ka… gome?" Her head shot up and teary sapphire clashed with hazy garnet. The puppet-master blinked in weary confusion. _I could have sworn I died…_

"Onii-sama…" The girl threw her arms around him, crying into his chest while he loosely draped a weak arm over her shoulders.

The redhead looked down at his chest where he had been cut through, too tired to question why his wounds were healing as Kagome's tears flowed over him. _What... happened?_

* * *

Panic swept through him when he saw Chiyo's eyes narrow in the direction the girl was. _Don't find her…_ He hadn't meant for her to see him die, hell, he hadn't meant to die at all. _Don't find her…_ She didn't deserve to be mistreated for having a heart big enough for even someone like him. _Kuso!_

Chiyo had seen her. Sasori wanted more than anything to rip the old woman apart, but he could only slump forward. _No! Kagome…_

"Chiyo-sama, shouldn't we check that out?" The puppet master tried to stand, but his body wouldn't move.

"No, leave it be; even Akatsuki has people who care about them, however few."

He would have sighed with relief if he could. _She's safe…_ Darkness began creeping around his vision as he heard their footsteps fade away. _Kagome…_ He heard her coming then her cries started. The darkness had overwhelmed him and he was falling into it, her voice getting fainter. _I wish… I could have asked Deidara to look after you…_

Something cool fell over his wound and sent light rippling through him. _Na…ni?_ More fell over him until his vision cleared, showing a hysterical eleven year old. "Ka…gome?"

* * *

The girl had fallen asleep against him while he thought back to what happened and a few tears still fell down her cheeks. The puppet master deftly picked her up and looked around at the torn battlefield. _I believe… that my duty to Akatsuki is finished; I helped obtain the Ichibi, and am supposedly dead._

He looked down to the girl in his arms and turned to walk away. _It's time I started living up to my title…_ He left through the dunes and vanished. _The one she gave me…_

_Onii-sama._

_

* * *

_

AN: I liked this one! XD Yeah, I'm back. I didn't do so well in the National Novel Writing Month, but I'm really happy to be back on fanfiction. I don't know what's coming next, though I know that a HidanKag is in the near future - that should make some of you very happy. Thank you for reading and please tell me what you think!


	36. Gomen

Gomen

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome glared at the silver-haired Jashinist in front of her as if blaming him for the situation. He must have sensed her glare, because he turned around to give her one of his own. "What the hell is your problem, bitch?" 

Her glare hardened after a moment of it softening. Hidan was truly beautiful, but his attitude left much to be desired. She merely glared, knowing that he would be irritated. Sure enough, he cried out in frustration and turned around, looking for something to use his scythe on. He had already requested that he use the girl as a sacrifice for his rituals, but Leader-sama had made it deathly clear that she wasn't to be harmed.

Hidan glanced back at her, letting his eye roam over her figure. No one in Akatsuki had any idea how this slip of a girl would help them gather the bijuu, and that frustrated him to no end. He suspected that it was partly because of the pureness seeming to radiate from her, and then there was the fact that she hadn't fallen prey to Itachi's Tsukiyomi.

His attention returned to the path in front of them when he felt several unfamiliar chakre signatures. A dangerous smirk found its way to his face as a dozen or so Sound nin appeared. Without wasting any time, he swung his scythe through three of them. "You will be sacrificed to Jashin-sama."

Kagome could only watch in morbid fascination as blood seemed to fall from the sky, showering with each graceful swipe of his weapon. Strangely, he reminded her of Sesshomaru, which caused a pang to course through her heart. Both of them were deathly beautiful, graceful, and could make blood rain from the sky.

"Oi." She lifted watering eyes to worried lavender ones. "What the hell is your problem? You were fine a moment ago!" She gave a half-laugh, half-sob. He may seem a little like Sesshomaru, but his attitude had none of the finesse that her lover possessed, making him more like a mix of Sesshomaru and a more colorful Inuyasha.

"Hey…" His voice was softer as he placed a bloody hand on her cheek, her tears leaving faint trails through the blood. "What the hell's the matter?" In his own crass way, he was showing that he cared for her.

Sobs wracked through her as she let out the sorrow she had kept bottled up since the Akatsuki had taken her away from her home during her visit. She had been saying goodbye to her mother before going back to Sesshomaru. She didn't even remember what happened, all she saw was the pattern on their cloaks before darkness engulfed her.

She leaned her head against his chest for support as she tried to black out the images of her lover and her son, who, for all she knew, had completely forgotten about her. Hidan hesitated before settling his arms around her, not quite sure what he should do. If she had been afraid, he would have just massacred whatever had scared her, and if she was injured, he would have captured a medic, make said medic heal her before being sacrificed. But she wasn't either of those.

"I want to go home…" Her statement came out as a plea as she clung to him. "Sessh… Shipp…" His eyes softened and his hold tightened somewhat.

"Gomen." He had orders, she couldn't go home, he couldn't let her, even if he hated to see her cry.

* * *

AN: Not exactly what I expected, but not too bad in my opinion. This is my first fic with Hidan, so if I got his character a bit wrong, I apologize. Still don't know what's coming and whatnot, but I should be back on track in about a week or so... hopefully. ; Thank you for reading and please review!

Oh yes, as for the poll on what prompt I should use for the sequel to In The West, the first one won by a landslide. XD


	37. Retrieving Tenseiga

Retrieving Tenseiga

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome stopped at the edge of a lake, looking at the waterfall across the way. "Well, if this isn't the place, then the lead I got was a dud." The others had to agree, because they hadn't seen any other huge, Sengoku Jidai-style palaces nestled beside a waterfall. _Sesshomaru, I'm almost there._ "Let's go."

The entrance to the compound was guarded by two large shinobi, as well as a large crowd of people trying to get in to glimpse the 'God on Land' that had so 'blessed them with his presence.' Kagome scoffed at them as she pushed her way through. This guy was just some random conman who was making money off a sword he should never have been able to use.

She reached the gates and watched the guards select who would have the 'honor' of meeting 'his grace'. She narrowed her eyes and began walking confidently forward with the others behind her. "I'm sorry, Miss, but you can't just walk in there; you have to show us that you're… acceptable." The shinobi had a glint in his eyes that made Sasuke step closer to her and glare.

Kagome pulled on the mask that Sesshomaru had taught her and looked him dead in the eyes with an intense gaze that made him want to back away. "I will do no such 'show', as you put it, but I will go retrieve what belongs to me, and if you get in my way…" Her eyes began glowing faintly. "I will insure that you do not live to regret it."

A hush came over the crowd as they began to watch the exchange apprehensively. The shinobi tried to recompose himself, but the glow in her eyes haunted him. "H-How dare you try to trespass in his Grace's fortress and – "

"How dare his '_Grace'_ use something that is not his so dishonorably!?" A faint wind began to swirl around her as her anger grew. _How_ dare_ they defile his legacy?!_ She calmed slightly as she saw the pure fear in their eyes and felt Sasuke's hand on her shoulder. _If only they knew that what they cherish most belonged to the five-tailed bijuu…_ "You _will_ let me pass."

The guard stumbled away and the crowd stayed quiet as Kagome and her friends passed through the gates. She relaxed her façade just enough to smile faintly at the protective Uchiha at her side. "Well… that went well." Sasuke rolled his eyes and smirked.

They passed through the courtyard without hindrance, though when they reached the entrance to the actual castle, they found that it was locked. At that point, Sasuke took it upon himself to blow the door down. Naruto was pouting because he hadn't gotten the chance to show off to his female friends.

"It'll be okay," Sai consoled him, giving his usual fake smile. "There will be several more occasions to make an ass out of yourself later, Dickless."

"Not nice, Sai-chan." Kagome remained aloof as she moved through the rubble of the entryway and into the dark room. "It seems that 'His Grace' has anticipated our arrival."

Instantly, several mercenaries and rogue shinobi for hire began attacking them. Kagome took out her katana and stood back to back with her 'master'/'student'. "Don't die."

"You too." The Uchiha was pulled away by his enemies and Kagome began to go through hers. Sakura was using Tsunade's training, Naruto was using Kage Bunshin and a few Rasengan, and Sai used his ink.

Cutting through one, Kagome quickly brought out her whips to purify several others. Crouching into her attack position, the miko waited for her opponents to charge her, many calling out some absurd war cry. She dodged under a wide slash and cut across the shinobi's torso before slitting another's throat and continuing her 'dance.'

She and the others took care of them rather quickly and soon they were standing in the once again quiet room. The miko sighed as she put away her katana; she had hoped there wouldn't be that much security… "Kuso." The others looked at her strangely and she scowled. "There's some sort of barrier here – I can't sense anything… This must have been holy ground."

She shrugged it off and looked over the others to make sure that they were alright. Sakura had used a lot of chakre and was panting. Sai had a few scratched and the others seemed to be alright.

Nodding once, the miko turned to continue through the palace, only stopping hat a shout. "Kagome!" She whirled around, only to stare in shock. Naruto stood just to her side, a four foot scythe sticking out of his chest.

Numbly, her eyes trailed up the blade to the trip wire that had set it off. Nauseating guilt swept through her, straight to her stomach and settling there like a load of bricks. "Naru…" She had accidently set off the trap without noticing, and Naruto stood in the way, protecting her.

The other stared in horror before Sasuke ran forward and helped Kagome slide him off the blade. Sakura held a hand to her mouth and her eyes were wide and watering. Sai had hidden behind his emotionless mask, hoping that this was some sort of genjutsu.

Kagome settled him on the floor, tears streaming down her face as she tried to heal him. Blue eyes stared up at her from his palace in her lap. "I remember… how I know you now…" The miko faltered at his fit of coughing.

He opened blood red eyes to look up at her, causing the others to step back. A deeper voice came out of his mouth as a wry grin fell on his bloody lips. "Did… I do good this time? Okaa-chan?"

Sasuke took a step back, Sharingan wide. "K-Kyuubi…"

Kagome smiled softly and ran her fingers through his hair, just like he used to love her doing. "Hai… you did good, Shipp." He grinned again, closing his eyes as his breathing slowed. "Naru…" Soon he didn't breathe at all.

Sakura turned away, sobbing while Sai pulled her into a loose hug. Sasuke stood numbly, not wanting to believe what he was seeing; his best friend was stripped away from him just as he got him back. Kagome still ran her hand through his hair, not caring what she was now sitting in a pool of blood.

Her emotionless mask slowly fell back into place and she stood up. "Sai, can you please carry him? I may have a way to bring him back, but we have to hurry."

Sakura stared at her incredulously. "'Bring him back'? He's dead!" Kagome winced at the last word before turning back to glare harshly at the girl.

"If you remember, I became certain that this was my sensei's sword when I heard that it could _bring back the dead._" Without another word, she turned and strode furiously away, her raging aura disabling anymore traps in her path.

* * *

'His Grace' sat on his throne, smiling contentedly. He was a large man, most of the weight he had gained recently with the money from his 'miracles.' He rubbed the hilt of his sword possessively. He had found that he couldn't bring back all the people brought to him, so he charged them at the door.

He had been informed earlier that day that five intruders had entered the compound and he had sent several of his men to deal with them. Plus there were all the traps set outside the throne room, so he was certain that he was safe.

He sighed happily as he leaned back, enjoying his luxury. The peace was shattered shortly after, though, and he quickly stood up, teetering a little from his weight. "Who dares enter here?!" More of his men surrounded him, but before he could give orders, a black and white wolf tore through the smoke and attacked them. "Kill it!"

One of the mercenaries attacked it before drawing back in horror. "W-We can't! It's made of _ink_!"

"N-Nani?" Another explosion cut off any further explanation and he turned to face the entrance with a terror-filled expression. All he saw was a black blur and furious blue eyes before darkness overcame him.

* * *

Kagome looked down at the corpse in disgust. _How could Tenseiga work for him at all?_ She leaned down and touched the hilt tentatively. It pulsed.

"Tenseiga…" More confidently, she wrapped her fingers around it, ignoring her companion's fights around her. Lifting the blade, she smiled in silent awe at finally holding her sensei's blade. It only lasted a moment before she whirled around and cut a man down with the katana in her left hand, her right still holding Tenseiga reverently. "Naru…"

There was a large explosion and the sound of a thousand birds before all was quiet. Kagome looked to make sure that the others were alright before running back to the door where Naruto was propped against a wall. The others all followed close behind her, hoping for this to work.

The miko tightened her hold on the demon fang as she came to a stop in front of the bloody blonde. _He gave his life for me when I should have died; this is the one thing I ask of you now, Tenseiga: bring him back to us, he is more than worthy._

A feeling of joy swept through her as she began to see the imps of afterlife and the shikigami. The god of the dead looked straight into her eyes and nodded once before turning away. Kagome wasted no time in cutting through the tiny creatures that reminded her too much of her sensei's shrewd, evil little toad-thing.

A cough immediately erupted from him. Sakura gasped in awe and the two look-alikes stared before sighing in relief. Kagome knelt and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank goodness…"

The jinchuuriki smiled slightly and hugged her back as strongly as he could. "Sesshomaru's blade still works then?" She nodded into his shoulder and he lowered his voice. "_He_ showed me the memories of his childhood; you led one weird life."

The miko laughed and leaned back, giving the blonde room to stand and get hugged by Sakura. Sasuke came up behind his miko and wrapped arm around her waist, pulling her to his side. They watched Naruto with relief. "You did it."

Kagome sighed and leaned into him, eyes slowly closing. "Maybe… but I'm exhausted…" The Uchiha chuckled and took the swords, slipping them into her belt. He let his hand rest on her hip, keeping her upright as she slumped. "Wake me when we get to Konoha; I don't care if it's a week's travel away, I'm sleeping the whole way there."

Sasuke looked to Naruto and then to the miko. The jinchuuriki laughed and helped his best friend set the girl on his back before they turned to leave the bloody hall.

Kagome snuggled closer to her 'master's' back and sighed contentedly. Maybe a life in Konoha, with Sasuke, wouldn't be too bad…

* * *

AN: There! I think I liked the first on better, but oh well. A few of you questioned why Kagome was kidnapped by Orochi-teme and Kab-uke in the first on if she was so powerful. Answer: She was tired from the final battle and confused - think about it, she had no idea where she was! It would have been a whole different story if Itachi or someone found her first!

Anyway, thank you all for reading!


	38. Come Back Soon

Come Back Soon Sequel to _Differences Don't Matter_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow in question as he watched his student and sister dance on water. It was an amazing display, he wouldn't deny that, but he didn't remember ever teaching her anything of this sort. His eyes narrowed slightly as he thought about the period of time when she had seemingly vanished into thin air. She couldn't have learned this then, could she? "Kagome."

The miko paused and stood still on top of the pool near the camp that the others had set up. She had hoped that no one would follow her but she would rather Sesshomaru catch her than his half-brother. "Nani, Aniki-sensei?"

"Where did you learn such a display?" He gestured to the water and watched her tilt her head back in consideration.

"Well… there is this amazing studio back in Tokyo and they teach you all sorts of different dances and – " His annoyed glare cut her off and she laughed sheepishly. "Didn't work, ne?" His silence was all the answer she need. She sighed. _Well, it is about time I told someone about him…_

She smiled softly and looked up at her teacher. "His name is Deidara, and he took care of me when I was in his world." She proceeded to tell him all about her experiences with the Stone missing-nin and his partner and how much they helped her and taught her. Sesshomaru listened to her tale, watching how she put so much emotion into it, gesturing with her arms and smiling softly again whenever she mentioned Deidara's name.

"You love him." His statement cut off whatever she had been saying and she blushed furiously.

"W-Where did that come from!?" She turned away and nearly lost control of her chakre that kept her from falling into the water. "It's nothing like that!" She pressed her hands to her flushed face as a flash of blonde hair and a huge grin crossed her mind. "Is it?"

Sesshomaru watched her a moment more before turning away. "Do not stay up too late – your training continues in the morning." He would support whatever decision she made about what she would do after Naraku, but he hoped that he would still be able to help her.

Kagome watched him leave and sighed. She started at her reflection in the water and thought of her blonde friend. He was almost always on her minds nowadays, whether she saw something gold to remind her of his hair, or someone said something that he had already told her, or if someone simply said the word 'un.' He was always there.

The miko smiled and looked up at the stars. _I'll see you soon, Dei-kun._

* * *

Deidara sighed as he and the other Akatsuki left the meeting room. He missed his Kagome-chan, and Tobi was more quiet since she left (how he enjoyed that); his partner missed her too. "Ne, Deidara-sempai," he looked up at the childish nin and arched an eyebrow in question, ignoring the confused and slightly worried looks of the rest of Akatsuki. "When is Kagome-chan coming back?"

Mentally cursing Tobi for bring her up at the worst possible moment, he sighed again. "I don't know… baka, un." He could feel his partner's pout but turned to the gazes boring into him and scowled. "What do you want, un?" Even Itachi raised an eyebrow at his stranger behavior.

Kisame furrowed his brow in worry for the blonde. Sure, they argued a lot, but Deidara hadn't even done that in a month or so. "Alright, what crawled up your ass and died? You've been acting up for a long time now."

Before Deidara could respond with an insult, Tobi beat him to it. "Kagome-chan went home!" He cried and the blonde could imagine the anime tears falling from the hole over his eye.

The sculptor smacked his face and looked at the ceiling through his fingers, ignoring the confused looks he was recieving from the others. _You had better come back soon, Kagome-chan, 'cause I'm about to kill Tobi._ A smirk crossed his face as he thought about it. _Maybe that isn't such a bad idea..._

_

* * *

_AN: Dei-chan is being evil. XD This isn't as good as the first one, but I still liked it. Thank you all for reading and please review!

Um... I don't know what is coming up when, but I know I have an OrochiKag, (cringe I don't know how I wrote that, but... yeah) the sequel to Into the West though that one isn't as good as I would have hoped, and the sequel to My Sister. I'm also working on the sequel to Nightmares (the one with Ryuu? Does anyone remember that one? I asked Aniki what pairing I should do next, and he suggested Ryuu, of course. --;)


	39. She's Mine

She's Mine

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

All of Akatsuki froze as they felt the pure killing intent flooding the base around them. It was like nothing they had ever felt before, even from the bijuu. Inside her 'prison', Kagome's head shot up, eyes wide and her lips moving silently. "Sesshomaru…" 

Itachi stumbled against the hallway wall, Sharingan wide and breathing harsh. "What… is that?" He had faced the Kyuubi jinchuuriki when he had lost control with four tails, but this surpassed it tenfold. He looked to the side to see Tobi collapsed on the floor, the pressure having been too much. Kisame was down on one knee, his sword on the ground beside him as if it was too heavy.

Just as he was about to be forced to his knees like his parter, a pulse of a lighter, more comforting aura was like breath of fresh air, giving the Uchiha back some of his strength. Kisame grunted, still unable to stand. "Itachi-san, get the girl, I'll… help Tobi." The Sharingan-user gave a nod before darting down the hall.

_Let her be alright._ He didn't know when he had started to care for her, but, after he had talked to her that time when she escaped, he was the one to always bring her back. If the others noticed his attachment to her, they wisely kept their mouths shut.

Deidara, her current guard, was having trouble breathing and he looked at Itachi thankfully. "Itachi-san… what is that?" Itachi nearly stumbled again, the pressure closing in around him once more. "Itachi-san?" He shook his head and went to the door. He unlocked the door with a shaking hand.

The moment the door was open, Kagome ran up to him, worry shining in her eyes. "Are you two alright?" She checked them over with her eyes, careful not to touch either of them. "You both need to rest, you're about to collapse!"

Itachi narrowed his eyes at her actions and reached for her. She deftly swerved out of the way. "Gomen, Itachi-san, but if I smell of another male, he'll be even more angry." The Uchiha noticed that she had bathed recently and hadn't taken the time to dry off properly, so her clothes clung to her.

Before he could ask her who 'he' was, a scream came from down the hall. Itachi fell to one knee and Deidara was on his hands and knees as the killing intent strengthened to all out blood lust. Kisame crawled around the corner, barely able to breathe. "G- Go… men… Itachi-san…"

A green whip cut through the darkness, striking the Kiri-nin and he fell cold.

Itachi held his breath as a silver figure came out. Silver hair with a blue tint fell to his ankles and pristine white clothes shone in the dark cavern. Maroon and blue markings covered his face, and furious amber eyes glared at the Akatsuki. Itachi had never felt as though he was staring into the face of death more than at that moment.

Kagome, to Itachi's shock, ran past him and wrapped her arms around the silver figure. Her shoulders shook slightly as she whispered over and over again. "Gomen… Gomen nazai, Sesshomaru… Gomen nazai…"

The heat left the man's glare and he wrapped his right arm around her. He didn't say a word, merely embraced her, allowing her tears to stain his haori.

Itachi could breathe more easily again, but he could only stare at the girl in shock. "K-Kagome…" She winced at his voice but didn't look up. The man she was holding, however, did. He glared at the Sharingan-user, as if blaming him for the girl's distress before nuzzling her hair slightly in comfort.

"Let's go, please, Sesshomaru…"

Sesshomaru nodded against her hair, taking in her scent. "Aa." His deep voice echoed through the cavern and they disappeared, but not before Itachi was on the receiving end of another warning glare, the message in is clear.

_She's mine._

_

* * *

_AN: Well, there's the sequel! I still don't think it turned out as good as the first one, but now that I read over it again, it's not that bad. Thank you all for reading and please leave me with a review and a request!

Uh, yeah, OrochiKag comin' up, when I don't know, depends on when I type it, the sequel to My Sister, and two others that I like. Oh, if you have a request, could you please leave a semi-plot line? If I get just a pairing, I'll be able to do it, but it will take longer, so just an idea or something that I can work with. Thanks!


	40. Willing to Share

Willing to Share

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Itachi sighed in exasperation and rubbed his eyes. It was an out-of-character action, but anyone in his place would have done the same thing, if not worse. He had been ordered to entertain the 'prisoner', and Tobi was her guard. At least, that's the way it was supposed to be. So why was it switched? 

"T-Tobi-kun! S-Stop!" The masked Akatsuki member didn't stop his tickle attack to her abdomen, at least, not until she called out again. "N-No fair! Itachi-san!" Tobi was immediately hiding behind a tree. She laughed as she stood up.

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment before watching them again. They truly were quite the pair – they were alike, yet still very different. _She _had a temper while Tobi didn't. She was strong but shied away from killing; he had already killed many but still retained an aura of innocence. She wore her heart on her sleeve while he stayed masked. She was a miko; he was a shinobi.

Itachi shook his head as Tobi began chasing her in a game of tag, it seemed. His Sharingan followed them as they ran around the clearing, laughing again. Tobi irritated almost all of Akatsuki, especially Deidara, but she…

Sapphire eyes burned with mirth as Tobi finally tagged her and ran away. Kagome didn't frustrate any of them. Sure, sometimes she would annoy them and argued with Kisame a lot, but that was mostly friendly banter. When they came to headquarters after a frustrating mission, she would greet them with a smile and even his day seemed to get better, not that he would admit it to anyone.

He saw her running toward a tree, just as Hidan came around, mumbling under his breath, probably about one ritual of his or another. She immediately tapped his shoulder, bringing him out of whatever daze he had been in and shouted "Tag!"

Hidan blinked as she ran away before smirking and running after her, and Itachi couldn't help but smile a little. She could make even the devout Jashinist forget about killing for a little while to just be free, to _play._

He heard laughter to his side and saw his blue-skinned partner just watching the three-way game of tag while leaning against the wall. Where so many others had rejected him because of his appearance, the miko had just smiled and during the few times that they were just relaxing, she would sometimes trace his gills with a finger.

Deidara came out to the garden yawning, grumbling about noise, until Tobi tagged him and ran away with a giggling Kagome. The blond shared a look with the still 'it' Hidan before they ran after the two.

Itachi sat down and leaned against the wall of the headquarters, watching them. "Now we know why Leader wanted her here so bad, ne?" Itachi nodded at his partner's statement, thinking about how she helped them with just her mere presence. He watched her smile, thinking back to the night before.

* * *

"Itachi-san?" He looked up at the girl in his doorway. "Daijoubu? You seemed a bit out of it at dinner." 

"Hn." He closed his eyes again and lay back, feeling a sense of calm wash over him as the bed shifted and a small body snuggled close to his.

* * *

He woke up the next morning with her head on his chest and his arms around her waist. A smirk crossed his face. Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't a very possessive man, so he was willing to share her with the others. Though, from the moment he woke up with her in his arms, he considered her his… 

Her laughter rang through the clearing and all the males around her smiled.

She belonged to all of them.

* * *

AN: I like this one! It's cute and it's just a little thing where they all seem to get along instead of arguing all the time. Thank you all for reading and please leave me with a review and a request!

Yeah, the OroKag is still on its way. ; Sorry for all of you who are waiting for it, and the sequel to the RyuuKag, 'Nightmares' will probably be next, so if you want to read that one again, go ahead, then its the sequel to 'My Sister'. Oh, if you have a request, could you please leave a semi-plot line? If I get just a pairing, I'll be able to do it, but it will take longer, so just an idea or something that I can work with. Thanks!


	41. Promise Me

Promise Me Sequel to Nightmares

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Inuyasha, and Aniki owns Ryuu.

* * *

"Let's get this mission over with, ne?" The miko smiled at him causing him to grin back - her smile was too contagious. Just before he turned away, he noticed a trail of liquid dripping from her chin. Ice blue eyes widened as rips started to appear in her clothes and blood trailed from more places than just her mouth. Through all the injuries appearing on her body, she continued to smile at him.

"_It isn't your fault."_

* * *

Ryuu shop up, breathing harshly as the adrenaline from the nightmare wore off. He raised a shaking hand to wipe the sweat off his face before glancing up at the body lying on hospital bed where he had been hunched over, resting his head on the mattress to sleep. "Kagome."

He had been correct when he told her that Tsunade would give me a long mission, he just never expected them to be attacked by Sound. _I was such an idiot._ He had had his head in the miko's lap, relaxing for a while before returning to the village, when his senses picked up numerous chakre signatures – by then, it was too late.

Kagome had taken several hits, a few severe ones from Kabuto before Ryuu had finally gotten his head into the battle and began wiping them out.

The two of them had been able to drive them back, but Kagome had collapsed the moment they retreated.

"_Kagome!" Ryuu ran to her side, ignoring the pain coursing through his arm as he held her up - he would take care of the probable poison slipping through his system later. She was hurt, badly and the only thought that ran through his mind was to take her to Tsunade and quickly. "Please… please don't die on me…"_

The soft beeping of the heart monitor brought him from his thoughts and he returned his head to resting on the mattress. Tsunade had been able to heal her, but couldn't wake her up from the coma she had fallen into. Disregarding the Hokage's orders and his own comfort, the black-haired shinobi had stayed by his roommate's side the entire time.

He unconsciously brought his hand up to gently take hers, running his thumb over her knuckles. The special jounin didn't feel helpless often, and he now remembered why he worked so hard to make sure he felt that way as little as possible. It was _not_ fun.

He hated feeling helpless and now that he was, it frustrated him to no end. "Dang it Kagome – why do you always sacrifice yourself like this?" Her last smile flashed through his mind and he grimaced. "Why do you always do this…"

A small cough escaped the body in front of him and his head shot up. "I… don't like to see my friends… hurt…" Electric blue eyes opened slowly and smile at him. "Hey…"

Ryuu stood up and pulled her up to hug her, mindful of her injuries. His unbound black hair mingled with hers as her buried his face into her neck. "Promise me…"

Her arms came up to wrap around him gently. "Promise me you won't scare me like that again…" She tightened her hold on him as much as she could, but didn't respond, telling him all that he needed to know. _She couldn't promise him that._

He clutched her tightly. "Then promise me that you'll let me protect you, please, Kagome…" Kagome could only nod, a small smile gracing her lips and tears running down her face.

"Okay…"

* * *

AN: Meh, not sure if I liked this one, but it was kinda cute all the same. Thanks for reading! Please leave me with a review and maybe a request? Hopefully? Thanks again! 


	42. My Brothers

My Brothers

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Sasuke stood triumphantly over his brother, but for some reason, he didn't feel the satisfaction that he had imagined. Itachi coughed up blood and tried to push himself off the ground. "Congratulations… Sasuke…" The younger Uchiha looked down as his brother warily and Sharingan met Sharingan as the elder activated his Mangekyou. "You're… strong enough to protect her now… I give you back our memories of our sister."

Images of an innocent young girl began to flash through his mind and he stumbled backwards. Most images came back to him easily, like finding an old photograph; others came painfully, since they were Itachi's memories. Retrieving Kagome from that other world, her adoptive son, and the scars littered across her body. "How…" He glared down at his defeated brother. "How could you take me own _twin_ away from me?!"

Itachi chuckled and a violent tremor rocked through him, causing him Sasuke's rage to pause. "You were too young to understand then… but you should be able to now…" More blood came up, adding to the growing pool growing around him. "Examine your memories closely, Otouto; you'll find the reason for the massacre and where I kept Kagome and Shippo…"

"Sasuke…" Blood dribbled from his lips and his brother's eyes widened. "Know that I never meant anything I said to you after that night, and I don't expect you to keep our promise… Gomen."

Sasuke watched in morbid fascination as Itachi fell back to the ground, smiling faintly.

* * *

"Sasu-chan? Onii-chan?" The two brothers immediately turned their attention to the girl sitting between them. "If one of us was in danger or dying…" Itachi's eyes widened; she shouldn't know that concept yet, she was too young. "Would you both help the other?"

They looked at each other over her head and blinked before turning back to her with smiles. "Of course! That's what brothers are for!" Sasuke grinned and Itachi nodded, glaring at the doorway over his siblings' heads.

Fugaku stood there, sneering at the girl by their side and Itachi put an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him, protecting her from the rest of the clan's scorn. "I'll never let anything happen to either of you."

* * *

Sasuke's eyes grew wide and he stepped back, away from his brother. That was the promise that Itachi was talking about: taking care of each other and her. _What have I…_

He slowly came back to his brother's side, watching the faint rise and fall of his chest. He was still alive, but only just, and he was fading quickly. The younger Uchiha wracked his brain, trying to think of someone who could heal Itachi. _I don't trust the others, so they're out of the question… Damn!_

He carefully picked up Itachi and raced to find Karin. He may not like her – _at all_ – but she would be able to tell him where Sakura was. His former teammate had trained under Tsunade, so she would know at least _some_ healing.

_Don't you _dare_ die, Nii-san; Kagome would never forgive me…_

* * *

A young boy with reddish hair ran through the forest, his tail twitching as he caught the scent he was looking for. A grin appeared on his face and his forest-shaded eyes lit up as his speed increased. "Okaa-chan!"

Kagome laughed as she caught the kitsune that came flying at her from the trees. "Hello, Shippo-chan." The kitsune grinned at her. "How was training?" Ever since they had come back with Itachi, her brother had been training kitsune in just about everything: the history of the shinobi, taijutsu, (which he wasn't very good at but was getting better,) ninjutsu, (he was best with fire techniques, making Itachi the perfect teacher because the Uchiha were best with fire as well,) and genjutsu, (which he excelled at.)

"It was great!" Kagome had to set him down because he had grown so much. "I'm finally getting the hang of throwing kunai and shiruken; I hit three out of five targets!"

The miko smiled proudly at him when she felt a pain in her chest, above her heart. "Kaa-chan? Daijoubu? Kaa-chan!"

Kagome fell to her knees, hand clutching her shirt._ This is…_ "Itachi…"

* * *

Sasuke ran with Itachi on his back. The others had been shocked that both of them were alive, but a furious glare had silence their questions. When he had demanded Sakura's location from Karin, she had stuttered her answer. A growled command of stay there kept them from following for which he was grateful. Itachi's breathing was even fainter than before and Sasuke sped up. "Damn it, don't die on me, Nii-san."

He began to feel Team Kakashi's chakre signatures and he veered off his current course to run toward them. "Almost there…" He burst through the clearing and was immediately at the point of Kakashi's kunai. Gasps were heard at his appearance. "I'll do anything…" Questioning looks were his answer and he continued. "I'll come back, go to jail, anything… just heal my brother."

Surprise was etched on all of their faces as he carefully set Itachi on the ground. "Just heal him, that's all I ask." He turned pleading eyes to Sakura. "Please…"

Kakashi held out a hand to keep any of the others from coming forward and his eyes narrowed. "Why would you want him to live after all the time that you've spent trying to kill him?"

"He left her alive!" His sudden outburst caused them to jump back a little. The youngest Uchiha lowered his and continued quietly. "He left Kagome alive, and only he knows where she is." This wasn't the truth anymore, but he was desperate. He turned sorrowful eyes to his first teacher. "I want my sister back, Kakashi…"

The Copy-nin sighed and scratched his head, still holding the kunai in his other hand. "Alright; Sakura, heal him." The kunoichi came forward tentatively and a green light shown from under her hands. "However, if either of you make a wrong move, you're both dead."

Sasuke made no response as he watched nervously as his brother's wounds heal; he had lost so much blood… "Nii-san…" Kakashi looked at him strangely, but the younger Uchiha kept his eyes on Itachi's face.

They sat like that for a long time. Naruto had come up to stand by Sasuke, despite Kakashi's protests and Sai was off to the side, feeling out of place. Color started to return to Itachi's face and slowly, his eyes opened, ebony irises looking around in confusion. "So you saved me after all…"

Sasuke had to force his expression clear, but he wanted to hug his brother in relief. _Did giving me my memories back change my outlook on him that much?_ "A promise is a promise." A chuckle emanated from the elder Uchiha, causing Sakura to fidget nervously, still healing him.

"My apologies for disconcerting you, Haruno-san." He sat up slowly, catching site of the on edge Kakashi. "Hatake-san." Kakashi gave a curt nod of acknowledgement and Sai walked closer. Sasuke placed a hand on his brother's shoulder to steady him and the elder Uchiha nodded to Naruto. "Naruto-kun." The jinchuuriki nodded back and shifted uneasily.

"Itachi, take us to Kagome." The elder Uchiha nodded and slowly stood up, wincing slightly. "Then we can all go back to Konoha." The others looked to Sasuke in shock and Itachi froze before sighing.

"Forgetting about Shippo already, Otouto? He's kitsune, and Konoha isn't welcoming to kitsune." Kakashi's eye widened and he stepped forward but Itachi paid him no mind and continued. "Kagome isn't going to leave him behind, and lastly, _I'm_ not welcome in Konoha."

Sasuke seemed to slump and Itachi smiled lightly, rubbing his hair. "We'll see what happens." His brother nodded resignedly and Itachi turned to the others. "You may come if you wish."

Naruto was immediately at his best friend's side, the others following a little more tentatively. Itachi nodded and turned to walk away.

* * *

Shippo changed the cloth over Kagome's forehead, relieved that her fever had finally gone down; she had him worried there for a bit.

A familiar scent came to his nose and he gave his mother one last look before running outside. "Itachi-sensei!"

He stopped short when other shinobi appeared behind his uncle and he dropped into his fighting stance, growling lowly. "Shippo, that's enough." Itachi gave him a small smile, showing him that everything was okay before looking around. "Where is Kagome?"

The kitsune's eyes widened and he darted forward to grab his uncle's hand. "She's sick! We were talking when she sort of collapsed. Her fever just broke a minute ago."

"Shipp?" Everyone looked up to see a girl in the doorway to the hut, leaning against it a little. "Onii-chan?" Her eyes widened and she gave a sigh of relief when she looked over her brother, then she looked the shorter one beside him. "Sasu-chan?" Her twin's eyes softened and he almost took a step forward.

"Okaa-chan!" Shippo whirled around and ran to his mother, showing the Konoha-nin his tail to their shock. "You should still be resting! Why did you faint like that anyway?"

She smiled indulgently at him and bent to hug him. "I felt that Itachi was dying, and since I was in the other place so long, when he came back I somehow tied my life to his, to keep me bound here instead of returning to the other place by accident. In short, my life is tied to his." The eldest sibling blinked in surprise and Sasuke shuddered; he had been so close to losing them both. Shippo just clung to her.

After a moment, Kagome let go of Shippo and ran to her brothers, wrapping her arms around their necks. "I missed you guys." They wrapped their arms around her, muttering apologies. "Just don't scare me like that again, 'k?"

Itachi set his head on her shoulder, nodding slightly before turning to introduce her to the shinobi behind them. They nodded at each of their names, Naruto grinning, Kakashi trying to hide his curiosity, and Sakura glaring slightly. Sai was just indifferent. "Uzumaki-san is the one Kisame and I were supposed to go after."

Naruto blinked and looked around confused. "Where is Fish-face?"

Kagome giggled at the jinchuuriki's nickname for the swordsman and Shippo had a huge grin on his face. "Oh, Fish-sticks threatened Okaa-chan, so Itachi-sensei sent him to swim with his family."

Naruto blinked before grinning and turning to the Uchihas. "I'm going to like him." Sasuke smirked, ruffling his nephew's hair and Sharingan showing pride while Itachi rolled his eyes. The eldest sibling then turned to Kakashi.

"What do you propose we do, Hatake-san?" Kakashi scratched the back of his head at the Uchiha's question. Why did he have to put him on the spot? Looking at the family, the Copy-nin couldn't help but think that things might work out this time.

"Well, I suppose we could take the four of you back to Konoha under a genjutsu so you're not apprehended immediately." His one eye became serious as he leveled a glare to the two missing-nins. I'll warn both of you now, former student and former partner or not, I will kill you both if you make one wrong move."

Kagome tightened her hold on her bothers, her face suddenly masked and Shippo couldn't help but be reminded of Sesshomaru. "I wouldn't do that, Hatake-san." Everyone stared at her in surprise – what happened to the happy girl? "If you did, even if you had not meant to kill me, I would have died with Itachi-nii, and the Uchiha Clan would be wiped out. Not the best thing for Konoha, don't you think?"

Naruto laughed at Kakashi and walked over to the Uchihas. "On to Konoha!"

* * *

Tsunade stared at the group in front of her, eyes wide and mouth open slightly. Naruto was arguing with Suigetsu while trying to save Sasuke from Karin and Sakura who were fighting while Sasuke tried to unnoticeably hide behind his siblings. Itachi was speaking with Shippo about showing respect to the Hokage and Kagome was laughing at something Juugo, who looked confused, had said or done. Kakashi was reading his little orange book as always and Sai was sweat-dropping at the whole situation.

Jiraiya was beside her in a similar state of shock while looking over Karin and Kagome with analyzing eyes. Naruto caught the look and paused in his argument to glare at the author. "Oi, get your eyes off Kagome-chan, Ero-Sennin." Immediately, two Sharingan glares and one turquoise glare were directed at him, causing the Toad Sannin to sweat and laugh nervously.

Tsunade sighed and laced her fingers together. _This is going to cause me so much paperwork…_ "Alright, I'll cast a genjutsu like my own over the boy to hide his features and each of you will be followed by an ANBU each, except Itachi who will have three and Sasuke, who will have two." She looked around at the crowd, her gaze narrowing at Shippo. "I will place a genjutsu on him, but I swear that if he shows even the slightest killing intent that Kyuubi did, he will be killed immediately."

Kagome's hold tightened on him and she glared at the Hokage. "If such a thing were to come to pass, Konoha will lose all support from the Uchiha Clan."

Without another word, Kagome turned to walk out of the room, followed by her brothers and the others. Soon, only the two Sannins were left with Kakashi. "I suppose I should head back to ANBU to keep an eye on them, ne?" After a poof of smoke, it was only Tsunade and Jiraiya.

The Hokage put her head in her heads, wishing for sake. "Did I do the right thing, letting them back in here? Or should I have had them killed on sight?" Jiraiya didn't answer, because he didn't know the answer either.

* * *

Kagome was looking around Naruto's apartment, face blank. "Well, that settles that."

Naruto looked up from something or other, eyes wide and cute with confusion. "What settles what?" Itachi raised an amused eyebrow at the situation, already knowing what his sister was thinking.

"You're living at the estate with us!" Shippo grabbed the jinchuuriki's hand and began dragging him away despite the protests. "That took care of that well, ne?" She grinned at her brother who smiled back at her.

"You know that Sasuke is going to be jealous, right?" She looked up at him questioningly but he just wrapped an arm around her shoulders, leading her towards the estate where Sasuke was already setting up rooms for Team Hebi. "He's not you only brother anymore."

"He never was, you're my brother, too, Onii-chan."

"Yes, I'm 'Onii-chan', but not there's 'Sasu-chan' and 'Naru-chan.'" The miko laughed a little nervously, already seeing the problems that could occur. A smile flitted across her brother's lips. "Come on, Imouto; let's go stop the fight before it really starts."_ We're all your brothers now, and we'll always protect you, we'll always be there for you, for everything._

_

* * *

_

AN: Sorry for not updating in so long, but my Grandfather recently passed away and I'm still recovering from the first funeral I've ever attended and catching up with the school work I missed. I don't know what's coming next or when - Gomen. bows apologetically Thank you all for reading and please leave me with a review and perhaps a request!


	43. About Time

About Time

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome always had some strange infatuation with dogs. Maybe it was because she grew up with only Buyou around, or maybe it was because of Inuyasha's cute puppy ears, but, either way, she loved dogs. This got her into trouble sometimes, such as now.

Godaime-sama had allowed her to live with the Inuzuka Clan until she could provide a place of her own. More specifically, she was living with Tsume, the clan leader, and her family. Kagome got along well with Tsume herself and especially well with Hana, Tsume's daughter. Her son however…

"Kagome!" The grinning miko ran out of the compound with a large white dog, who would have been grinning if he could, right on her heels. "Get back her with my dog!" The canine gave a bark and continued after the black-haired girl. "Akamaru!"

Kagome laughed as she heard Kiba's whine which was quickly followed by a string of curses. She and Tsume's son had hit it off quite well, if you ignored the name-calling, 'dog-snatching', and less than friendly spars between the two.

The villagers watching her and Akamaru run past shook their heads with knowing smiles on their faces. They and Kiba's teammates and friends had accepted her very easily, which earned them the title of 'Traitors' in Kiba's mind, even if he continued to hang out with them. Naruto was especially close to the miko, and would play pranks with her, mostly on Kiba.

The biggest 'betrayal' as Kiba would call it, came from none other than his best friend and partner, the white dog currently running with her. Akamaru would take it upon himself to make sure that she didn't have nightmares of her past, usually ending up with Kiba glaring at her for cuddling with the canine.

"Kagome!" The shout was closer than the miko expected it to be and she grinned – he was getting faster. Of course, so was Akamaru and the dog loved to give Kagome rides on his back – she was too light to hinder his movements at all. "Get back here, wench!"

Kagome faltered for a moment at the familiar 'pet name', but Akamaru butted his head between her legs, lifting her onto his back. Maybe that was one of the reasons that she didn't get along with Kiba: he was too much like Inuyasha. The now permanent separation from the hanyou and the others had been hard for her. She was getting through it, but the resemblances in character between her old friends and the new ones pained her sometimes.

Akamaru reached an open training ground and ran at full speed, sending torrents of wind flying around his passenger and through her hair. The familiar feeling brought a smile to her lips and memories of her past. Unfortunately, the sense of security didn't last long, ending the moment a glaring jounin appeared in their path.

Kagome reached down to pet Akamaru's head, smiling sweetly at Kiba as they came to a stop. His glare and scowl only intensified. Akamaru growled protectively before whining, trying to get his partner to at least become a little less angry.

Kagome slid off the canine's back as soon as Kiba looked down at his dog. "Thanks for the ride, Aka-kun." Her whisper was only answered by a single wag of the tail since the white ninken was holding a staring contest with his partner.

The miko turned to walk away, knowing that those two could stare at each other for hours. That wasn't the case this time, however. Kiba watched her go, scratching behind Akamaru's ears idly. Once he realized that he was staring, he promptly scowled and looked away. "Come on, Akamaru."

* * *

Kiba searched frantically in the crowd – she had to be there somewhere…

There had been a surprise invasion by Iwa and Oto on Konoha – it had been completely out of nowhere – there was no chuunin exams, no special meeting or anything. The enemy was beaten back, now, but some of the village was in ruins and the Inuzuka compound had gone up in flames. The clan and several other citizens and shinobi without homes were gathered in the square, taking account of the damage and deaths.

Akamaru was dashing through the crowd much like his master, whining to other dogs occasionally before darting off again. Kiba looked from face to face, his own formed into a worried scowl. _Where _is_ she?_ "Onee-sama, have you seen Kagome?"

Hana blinked in surprise at the sudden question before narrowing her eyes in thought. "No, I haven't – but what would you care? The two of you are practically always at each other's throats."

Her comment didn't receive a reply as he turned and walked away again. _Damn it… where _are_ you?_ His head snapped to the left as he heard his partner let out a joyful yip. _He found her!_ He didn't stop to analyze why he was so relieved that she was here, or, as his sister and pointed out, why he cared at all in the first place – he just ran toward her.

He broke though the crowd to see her laughing as Akamaru pinned her down, giving her a tongue bath. Her smile made him relax considerably before he scowled again.

Stalking over, he pushed his partner off of her and pulled her up. "What were you thinking? Didn't I tell you to stay close?" His voice was a harsh whisper, hiding how much he had worried about her.

Kagome's shocked expression from his abrupt entrance shifted to anger as she wrenched her arm from his grasp. "Who are you to question me? To order me around? I'm perfectly capable of defending myself and others if need be, so I don't need your protection!"

She turned to storm away, briefly taking note of the crowd that had gathered to watch them argue, before a hand gripped her wrist, whirling her back around. "What now –" She was quickly pulled flush against the jounin's chest and his lips were fiercely pressed against hers. After taking a moment to understand what was happening, she began to shyly respond, earning more than a few catcalls from the people around them.

_Well, it's about time._ Akamaru gave a few barks, spinning around before settling down to watch his partners. _It took me long enough to get them together.

* * *

_AN: I liked this one! I read the first couple paragraphs to my cousin and he just cracked up laughing, so I guess it's good. ; Anyway, there's more coming - I just don't know when. Gomen! 

An Orochi/Kag is somewhere in the future, along with a Gaara/Kag and a Shika/Kag. I've been asked to write sequels to a few of the previous ones, so we'll see how they turn out.

Please leave me with a review and maybe a request! Thank you all for reading!


	44. Deal

Deal

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Naruto.

* * *

Kagome groaned as she sat up. _Ouch… what did I do last night?_ Looking around, she found herself in a room that looked like it was washed with bleach – it was pure white. She was on a bed covered with a sheet. _A hospital… now how did I get here?_

Reviewing the last things she remembered, she saw the battle with Naraku, somehow beating him, but she was injured and she fell down the well which blazed a deep green. _That was different…_ Sand – lots of sand – and a head of red hair and pale eyes. _Who was that?_

The miko shook her head and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, wincing at the sight of the wounds littered over them. _It looks like someone was practicing calligraphy with a knife or something._ Looking over her arms, she saw the same.

Frowning, she concentrated on bringing her ki to the surface, just below her skin. A pale glow radiated from her and the cuts began to close, leaving smooth scars. She was so in tune with her power that she didn't notice the door opening and the blonde with large assets walk in with a shorter, impassive redhead.

_How did I get this injured again?_ Her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to remember and continue healing herself. _Oh… the jewel…_ Upon Shippo, _the brave kit_, stealing Naraku's half of the jewel in the middle of the battle, Kagome had fitted the pieces together, but instead of fusing as everyone thought would happen, the jewel broke into shards, again. This time, though, they floated around Kagome, forming a sphere around her. She remembered all the fighting just stopping to watch as the shards impaled her, reforming into a marble inside of her body.

That_… had _really_ hurt!_ The glow around her faded, leaving her light-headed. "Whoa…" She caught herself before she fell and let the dizziness subside. She felt someone watching her and turned her head slightly so she would be able to see them through her ebony hair.

The blonde woman was staring at her in awe while the redhead quirked an eyebrow in a manner that reminded her of Sesshomaru… "Uh… hi?"

The woman shook her head quickly and smiled kindly at her. "Hello. I'm the Godaime Hokage of Konoha, Tsunade. This is Sabaku-no-Gaara, Godaime Kazekage – he's the one that found you."

Kagome pushed her hair behind her ear and smiled gratefully. "I'm Higurashi Kagome." Tsunade seemed nice, and Gaara… well, he just reminded her of Sesshomaru… and he was kind of cute. Once she realized what she was thinking, the miko had to fight down the blush currently trying to stain her cheeks. "Anou… do you have some clothes I could change into?"

Now she _was_ blushing as she realized just how much skin could be seen through her hospital gown. Tsunade smiled and nodded before shooing the Kazekage out of the room, all the while ignoring his glare.

Kagome laughed quietly and took the clothes from the Hokage. _Well… these are different…_ "Ne, Tsunade-sama, I might need some help…" The Godaime laughed before looking her in the eye.

"Tell you what, you tell me how you got all those wounds to heal so quickly, and I'll help you with anything for as long as the explanation lasts."

The miko smiled. "Deal."

* * *

Over an hour later, Kagome was dressed and headed to the library using Tsunade's directions. There had only been one distraction throughout their conversation, which was a golden blonde boy about her age bursting through the door without knocking. Kagome had been without a shirt, but, luckily, she had bandages across her chest. Tsunade had promptly told him off and thrown him back out the door without listening to what the boy had to say.

Kagome had told the Hokage that she didn't know anything about the shinobi world to which Tsunade had looked serious. _"A miko, ne? Those are merely legends, now, so we should keep this quiet. Go to the library and learn as much about our world as you can. I'll come up with a background story that will explain your injuries and why you were in the desert. When you're finished there, go to the ramen stand on the directions and wait for the blonde from earlier if he isn't there already – that boy eats way too much ramen – and he'll take you to an apartment I'll have ready."_

Kagome was focusing so much on the direction in her hand that she didn't see the shinobi in front of her until they ran into each other since he had his eyes closed. The miko hit the ground with a small oomph and looked up at the stoic redhead looming over her. She quickly stood up and flashed him a smile. "Gomen nazai, Gaara-sama – I wasn't paying attention." She bowed to him before continuing on her way.

Gaara turned to watch her disappear in the crowds of Konoha, ignoring the confused glances of his siblings. He narrowed his eyes once she was out of sight and turned to walk away, pondering the strange girl. She didn't fear him, and, although the kindness was welcome, it was odd. Also, she calmed the bloodlust he kept hidden. However, his furious reaction to seeing her as beaten as she had been when he found her was… disconcerting.

* * *

Kagome shut the history book she had been reading and stretched. She had been at the library a good few hours. _I know all about the shinobi that I'll be able to learn tonight._ Taking out Tsunade's directions again, she found the directions to 'Ichiraku's Ramen' where she was to meet the boy. _Hopefully, their ramen is better than that instant ramen that Inuyasha inhaled._

She set the book back on a shelf and left the library, passing a black-haired boy, a painter by the looks of it, reading about emotions. _That's weird._

She followed the directions to the letter, slipping through the crowds easily. Upon arriving at the stand, she saw the boy sitting beside Gaara, talking animatedly while working on his… tenth bowl, was it? Maybe his eleventh bowl of ramen. The miko couldn't help but let her eyes soften at him. _Shippo's energy with Inuyasha's appetite – what a scary combination._

She walked up to the counter a seat away from them, not wanting to intrude and ordered a bowl of miso ramen. The waitress smiled at her and gave her order to the chef, leaving her with nothing to do but listen to the conversation beside her.

'Naruto' as she heard, was telling the Kazekage all about his day, skipping over the part where he walked in on her changing, or maybe he just forgot, as if Gaara was his best friend. Watching the redhead from under her lashes, she realized that they were friends, despite the obvious difference in rank – she had read that kages were the leaders of a shinobi village, and Naruto didn't even wear a chuunin nest - Gaara's eyes were less guarded and more at ease around the loud blonde.

When the waitress brought her food to her, Kagome felt the Kazekage's eyes land on her as she pulled her hair into a low ponytail to keep it out of the food and began to eat. Naruto must have noticed his friend's lack of attention because he looked at her as well.

"You!" Kagome swallowed her mouthful of turned to look questioningly at the accusatory finger pointing at her. Naruto's eyes were wide and he kept trying to say something, but he only ended up looking like a fish. Gaara raised an eyebrow at her and she shrugged, still watching the blonde.

"You're the girl I saw – " The miko's eyes widened and she quickly covered his mouth, quieting the boy's shout. "Mmph!"

Looking around, she saw that only a few people were staring at them, namely Gaara, the chef and his daughter. Giving a nervous chuckle, she looked back to the blonde. "Um… if you're going to say that, can you please not shout it? That would actually embarrass you more than me."

Naruto nodded and the miko removed her hand. Gaara gazed that the two with narrowed eyes. Turning to Naruto, he pegged the blonde with a scowl that clearly stated 'Explain.'

Naruto laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "I kinda, accidently, didn't mean to, was already punished for… walking-in-on-her-changing." He said the last part so quickly that Gaara took a few seconds to figure out what he said. When he did, his glare increased tenfold. "It was an accident, honest!"

Later, Naruto was leading her to the apartment Tsunade had set up for her with Gaara tagging along. Naruto talked a lot about a girl named Sakura, a teme named Sai, an always late sensei, and he warned her about a self-proclaimed 'super pervert' he called Ero-Sennin. Gaara would scowl whenever Ero-Sennin was brought up, but was quiet. She didn't mind though – his presence was comforting.

"And here's your apartment!" Naruto gave her a grin and put his arms behind his head. "We should do this again sometime – it was fun!" Kagome smiled and bid the two of them goodnight before disappearing into the complex.

Naruto turned to go as well but Gaara's voice stopped him. "Naruto." Said blonde turned around and took a step back from the look on his friend's face. "Let's have a spar…"

The Kyuubi-jinchuuriki showed up to training black and blue the next day.

* * *

Gaara stood in front of Kagome, watching her stare at the ground. "So you… really have to leave?" They had spent most of the Kazekage's time in Konoha with each other, Kagome learning more about the shinobi world and Gaara at peace.

"Aa." His month in Konoha had been both stressful and relaxing. He had finished all his business with the Hokage and the council, during which he thought that it would be easier to just kill them all and be done with it, but he had also spent most of his time with the miko. The leftover essence of Shukaku in him was calm then.

He had arranged for Tsunade and Naruto to watch over her, and, if everything went well and she wished, Kagome would be given leave to return with him to Suna after his next business trip to Konoha.

"Well, have a good trip!" The miko tried to put on a cheerful smile, but the tears threatening to fall from her eyes gave away her sadness.

The Kazekage reached out and brushed the water away with his thumb. "I will return for the chuunin exams." His eyes softened and he gave her a small smile. "Take care of Naruto while I'm gone."

Kagome managed a short laugh and leaned into his touch a little. "I will, but you have to promise not to kill anyone because they bring in more paperwork." Her eyes danced with laughter when she saw him frown. She had learned from her two kage friends that they had faced countless enemies, but the one they hated the most was the bane of their existence, paperwork.

"Kazekage-sama, we must depart." He glanced to his escort and gave a short nod.

"Well, you better go." Kagome made to turn away but he caught her wrist and pulled her back. "Gaar-"

Naruto, who had been standing nearby waiting for Kagome, felt his jaw hit the ground and he turned to see everyone else gaping as well – except one Godaime Hokage.

Grumbling, he dug in his pocket and emptied his wallet. He gave the money to a smirking Tsunade. "I thought you were known as the Legendary Sucker! If that's so, how did you win the bet that he would kiss her before he left!?"

Tsunade just watched the two happily. "A deal is a deal, Naruto."

* * *

AN: Lol. I like this one! I'm surprised I'm managing this, since my arms hurt like hell from carrying who-know-how-many pounds of cookie dough home from school and it hurts just to type - so I hope you all appreciate this! Anyway, I seriously don't know what's coming up next or when, but nothings been added to the list from last chapter.

Thank you all for reading and please leave me with a review! If you have a request, which I'm strongly encouraging, please state a pairing and a loose plotline that I can work with - it's hard if you just leave the pairing. Thank you all again!


	45. Kisame's Daughter

Kisame's Daughter

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

"Otou-san!" A seemingly feral grin spread across the man's face as a young girl that looked nothing like him jumped into his arms. "I missed you!" The man laughed as sapphire eyes flicked with gold danced with happiness. 

His grin widened, pointed teeth flashing. "I was only gone for a day, baby girl." Small yellow eyes shone with love for his daughter and he quickly accommodated her in his arms so he could still hold her and reach his sword easily. Where so many others had shied away from his blue skin and feral features, she loved them, the only others to do that were her late mother and the others in the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

"Kisame!" He turned to see a man with a huge clever on his back coming forward with his apprentice, Haku, at his side. Momochi Zabuza gave him a friendly nod and a smile to his daughter before becoming solemn again. "Mizukage-_sama­," _The title was spat out like poison, "wishes to see us."

Hoshigaki Kisame's face formed into a frown and he sighed. "Well, unfortunately, duty calls, Baby Girl."

She pouted cutely. "I'm not a baby girl, Otou-san! I'm almost as old as Haku-chan!" Said hunter-nin blinked when he found himself at the end of a protective glare. "Otou-san!" His daughter tugged at his hair, pulling him from thoughts varying from 'how is she so familiar with him?' to 'what would be the best way to kill him and not get on Zabuza's bad side?' "No glaring at Haku-chan!"

Kisame gave his small version of a pout and heard Zabuza laughing. "Calm down, Kisame – she's nine and Haku is ten; don't you think that they're still a bit young for that?"

Kisame sighed and turned back to his adorably confused daughter. "I have to go, again. I'll be back soon." She grinned and nodded before kissing him on the cheek and jumping out of his arms to run back up the street.

Kisame watched her go and sighed before turning to Zabuza. The other swordsman walked with him to the Mizukage Tower, both reluctant to go. "How much do you see her, nowadays?" The Hoshigaki sighed and that was all Zabuza needed. Even if he had seen her the day before, it had only been for about five minutes, the same with all the other times he saw his beautiful baby girl.

They reached the tower and proceeded to the Mizukage's office. The room was filled with smoke with the fat leader sitting comfortably in the middle. Both swordsmen wanted nothing more than to separate his head from his shoulders, but they stood waiting for him to speak.

"Oh, you're here." They remained silent. "Now, first things first. Kisame, how is your daughter?" He immediately tensed and his glare was dangerous. "That's nice, now I hope you said good-bye to her, because, as your weakness," Kisame's eyes widened and Zabuza was close to gaping. Was he _insane?_ "I had to get rid of her."

Kisame was immediately no where in sight, and the Mizukage had the gall to look confused. Haku stood still, quietly seething, while Zabuza's clenched fists were shaking and drawing slight blood from his palms. Once he was strong enough and had more supporters, Zabuza was positive that he was going to kill he disgusting man in front of him, if only to avenge his best friend's baby girl.

Kisame bolted through the village, his eyes darting around, frantically searching for his baby girl. A scream came from his left. "No!" He ran toward the scream, praying that he wasn't too late.

He found his daughter being chased by hunter-nin. _"No!"_ He cut some of the hunter-nin with Samahada, not caring about the consequences of his actions, or the screams his sword's jagged edge elicited. She ran into the forest as more nin followed her.

Kisame began cutting even more of them down. "Leave her alone!"

He followed them until they reached a clearing. His daughter was crouched in fear beside a dried up well with the hunter-nin surrounded her. The swordsman could only see red as he charged with a battle cry.

"Otou-san!" Her sapphire eyes immediately lightened and she stood, happy that he came to rescue her. However, she tripped as she stood, falling into the well. "Otou-san!" She saw her father's fear-filled face before a flash of green light.

"No!" The hunter-nin all lay on the ground, dead or groaning as Kisame stood at the well, staring inside with disbelieving eyes. "No…" She had disappeared, simply _vanished_ in a flash of light. His legs gave out and he came closer to crying than he ever had in his life. "Kagome…"

* * *

"Kagome!" A black-haired girl with sapphire eyes started out of her daze just in time to dive out of the way of a barrage of tentacles. She looked up at the dark hanyou, wishing for the smirk on his face to burst into flames. "Stupid wench, pay attention!"

The priestess, on an impulse, sneered at her hanyou ally and pushed herself to her feet. Ten years… It was ten years since she last saw her father; ten years since Higurashi Kun-loon found her and took her in… Why was she thinking about him now? It only hurt her.

With more agility than she had shown in the past three years, the miko dove past Kirara to avoid a lungful of miasma, shocking Sango and Miroku, who were atop the fire cat. Before she realized what she was doing, she was beside Sesshomaru, letting her mind work through a plan to bring down their enemy.

"Sesshomaru-sama, this is going to sound really strange, but I need to borrow Tokigen." She was already trying to remember the one jutsu that her father had the time to teach her to provide a distraction for her.

"Have you gone mad, Miko?" The taiyoukai cut down another swarm of lower youkai before letting his golden gaze turn to her.

"No, I think I'm finally becoming sane." He looked at her strangely. "Inuyasha is too reckless – the only two people that I have ever seen that were able to use a style similar to the one he uses, just throwing his sword around, were my father and his best friend, and they were much stronger than Inuyasha, so they made it work."

Sesshomaru watched her for a moment before turning his attention back to the battle. "Be that as it may, Tokigen as a too powerful an aura for you to handle, Miko."

"Oh, come one." Kagome herself was surprised at her stubbornness to him, considering she had always been terrified of him before. "It can't be worse than Samahada."

She kept surprising him. "Fine, but if you are possessed, this Sesshomaru will not be held responsible."

A grin that, even if she couldn't see, she knew would resemble her father's broke across her face. "Arigatou, Sesshomaru-sama." Her hands flew through the necessary signs for the Kirigakure-no-jutsu and took Tokigen from him before vanishing into the growing mist.

Sesshomaru started at the place where she disappeared before lifting his nose to try to find her, only to find that the mist impaired his sense of smell, sight and hearing. "Impressive."

Kagome smiled at the compliment and ran through the clearing, feet making no sound as they moved as they moved. She could hear Inuyasha's cursing and Naraku's confusion, though the mist made it so that it was difficult to tell where sound came from; luckily, she could sense the Shikon, so she knew where Naraku was.

Tokigen's aura flared and she glanced at it. "Oh, hush. You'll be plunged into Naraku's disgusting chest soon enough." It flared again, but this time in excitement before it quieted. A tilt of her lips showed through as she jumped into the air, above where she knew Naraku stood.

The great pulse of Tokigen's aura was all that warned the dark hanyou recieved before he felt cold steel pierce through him. He coughed up blood, hesitating a moment from shock. That moment was all that Kagome needed.

Naraku felt light fingers flutter over where his heart would be before he felt as if he was being burned alive, for the second time, only this time from the inside.

The mist lifted, revealing Kagome standing in a patch of charred ground, Tokigen in one hand and a faintly glowing stone in the other. Inuyasha stood still, not believing what he was seeing. In the light of the jewel, Kagome's eyes shone a bright sapphire flicked with a dark gold. _Gold? I don't remember that being there…_

Sesshomaru strode calmly over to retrieve his sword, though he too was surprised. "Well done, Miko." She looked up at him and nodded respectfully. The taiyoukai studied her for a moment before turning away briskly.

The miko watched him in slight amusement before looking back to at the glowing jewel. _So much trouble, for just a little marble._ She glanced at the now fuming hanyou and all traces of amusement left her as she tightened her hold on the jewel. _He can't use it – he can't bring back Kikyo, because my soul is my own._

She was surprised at her own resolve against him, but she had to wonder as she watched him coming. _Did I really love him at all, or was I trying to fool myself into believing that I belonged here?_ She closed her eyes and sighed. _I wish…_ The jewel's glowing brightened somewhat beneath her fingers. _I wish I was stronger, so Otou-san wouldn't have to worry._

There was a flash of light and Kagome shot her eyes open. She wasn't standing at the battlefield, but at Mt. Hakurai. "Nani?" Six graves stood in front of her, and upon reading the names, the miko's eyes widened. "These are – "

"My brothers." She turned to the side, already knowing who she would see. "Even if one of them tried to kill me, they were still my team, my family." Kagome watched him set weapons on the graves, stopping at the last one. "What are you doing here, Miko?"

Kagome watched Bankotsu reverently set Jakotsu's snake-blade on the grave. "To… pay my respects, I suppose." The mercenary looked up at her curiously but she could only smile. "You may have been out enemy, but you're a great warrior, and so were they."

She placed her hands together and said a short prayer, even for Mukotsu. When she opened her eyes again, Bankotsu was still watching her. "Ne, how are you still alive? Inuyasha said that you died."

He shrugged and sat in front of Jak's grave. "Dunno. Naraku got the jewel shards and I remember turning to dust again, so I don't know." He continued to gaze at his friend's sword as she sat beside him. "I just wish I wasn't alone again."

Kagome looked to the side, to his blade, and smiled. "But you're not." She could feel his gaze snapping back to her. "You still have Banryuu, and I guess you have me." She turned to grin at him. "I wished to be stronger so my Otou-san wouldn't have to worry, and I ended up here."

He laughed a little bit and stood. "Well then, if you want to be stronger, I'll train you.

"And in return?" She stood as well and watched as he easily picked up his Banryuu and slung it over his shoulder. "I know you won't train me for free."

He grinned and turned to her, his braid swinging around slightly. "Well, I'm not going to lie and say that I'll be an easy teacher, but you'll be stronger than you would be if Inuyasha taught you." He saw the question in her eyes and smiled sadly. "I may not like him much, if at all, but Jak did, so I'll at least say his name."

She smiled and nodded, still waiting for the answer to her other question. "The condition for me to train you… is that you don't leave me alone…" His voice trailed off as he stared at her, as close to pleading as his pride would allow. She smiled and nodded slightly.

"I won't."

* * *

"Ban!" Kagome turned around, a frown set on her face as she looked for her friend. "Bankotsu, get your butt out here!" It had only been a few years since they had teamed up, and they had managed to avoid any of her former group, thankfully – seeing them would only have brought back painful memories of her kit.

Shaking her head to rid her mind of the images of his mangled body, she continued to look around. "Ban!"

Cursing drew her eyes toward the edge of the forest, her hand coming down to rest on her katana. She could use Banryuu or something similar to it, in fact, she preferred it, but a katana was easier to conceal.

Bankotsu burst through the trees, Banryuu over his shoulder. "Kag, run!" She didn't need any encouragement and turned to flee, her hakamas bellowing slightly. She had given up her scandalous school uniform the second day in the mercenary's company, instead wearing either a pale blue and gold kimono, or, for the times when it was better that she pose as a male, (Bankotsu's brother,) she would pull her hair back into a braid, bind her chest and wear a haori and hakamas like Ban.

Once he reached her side, they both sped up. "Who's after us?" When he didn't answer, she glanced over to see his scowl. "Ban?"

His scowl deepened. "Inuyasha." He didn't need to say more. Though they had managed to avoid them, Inuyasha had caught their scent and knew that they were a team, plus there were rumors and tales of their jobs and whatnot everywhere.

"Where do we go? Sesshomaru is too far from here." The miko stayed silent, considering an option she hadn't thought of using in all the years that she had been with Ban. "Kag?"

She closed her eyes. "We're going through the well; Inuyasha won't be able to do anything there." She could feel his uncertainty and gave him a smile. "Don't worry, we'll be fine."

The mercenary smiled back and they ran through Inuyasha's forest. Once Sesshomaru had heard of the rumors, he had sought them out to insure Kagome's wellbeing. Apparently, he had turned back on the battlefield to find her gone and had been… less than pleased, so when there were rumors of her, he checked them out. He was now their ally, but he was too far away. "There's the well."

They could both hear the hanyou cursing behind them and picked up their pace again. The miko jumped over the ledge, glancing up to make sure that her friend was following her. _Otou-san…_ As the blue lights swelled around them, she felt a sudden longing for her father. _I'm stronger now, as strong as Ban, can I come home?_

The well's magic pulsed, startling the mercenaries before the light faded to deep green. "What's happening?" Kagome could only shake her head in confusion.

After a moment, they landed at the bottom and quickly propelled themselves out. Bankotsu looked around through narrowed eyes at the forest around them. "I thought you said we would come out at a shrine…"

"We should have." The miko looked around, feeling nostalgia from the tints of red on the trees around them. "But this is someplace else, where we have a much greater advantage than Inuyasha." She turned to see him raise an eyebrow, seeming to say 'Oh? And what's that?'

She grinned and reached up to separate her hair into three sections. Bankotsu came up behind her and swatted her hands away, doing it himself. She sighed lightly at the feeling of his fingers in her hair before responding. "This is where I was born; I fell down the well when I was nine and I haven't gotten back since. Meaning that I know this terrain better than Inuyasha ever could."

His hands stilled for a moment before finishing the braid and tying it off. "Well then, let's go exploring." Kagome grinned and they began running.

The miko relished in the feeling of being home. She could feel her chakre connecting with the nature around them again, something she hadn't been able to do in the other worlds. She knew she was still grinning, but she didn't care. _Otou-san… I'm home._

Bankotsu watched her from the corner of his eyes and smiled. She was happier – there was a glint in her eyes that he had only seen a few times before when she was truly happy. _If Inuyasha comes to try to ruin this, it won't matter if Jak liked him or not, I'll separate his head from his shoulders._

* * *

"Hoshigaki Kisame?" The fearful question changed Kagome's demeanor entirely. She had politely asked one of the few vendors in Kiri of her father, but the scared expression on his face told her all she really needed to know.

"Yes, he is currently a missing-nin and our hunt for him would be easier if we understood why he became one." Bankotsu was confused, she could feel it, but he hid it well, hoisting Banryuu up easily and scanning the crowd.

The vendor glanced around before lowering his voice. "We all know it was coming – some of the swordsmen were becoming more and more disgusted with the Mizukage. – "

"_Mizukage-_sama­," _the title was spat out like poison…_

" – But the final blow had to have been when the Mizukage ordered Kisame's daughter, wonderful girl… He ordered her killed – "

"_My apologies, but orders are orders." The hunter-nin pulled out some senbon needles._

" – because she was Kisame's one weakness – "

"_You're _weak!_ Kikyo wouldn't need me to protect her all the time!"_

" – but, the way I saw it, she was his strength; she made him human." Kagome blinked, not believing that she had heard that, from a civilian no less. "Anyway, he became a missing-nin that day, and Momochi Zabuza and his apprentice followed him shortly after."

Kagome nodded. "Thank you for your time." She turned but the vendor called her back.

"I also heard that he's in a group called Akatsuki." Kagome nodded. "Good luck."

Bankotsu followed her down the street, looking around curiously. "So… are you going to tell me what's going on, or are you going to leave me hanging?" She laughed, bringing a smile to his lips as he understood the hidden message. 'Later.'

Soon, they were in the woods surrounding Kiri, away from any eavesdroppers. Kagome sat on a log across from her friend who was more than willing to wait for her to start – one thing he had learned during his time with Kagome was patience.

The miko sighed and tilted her head to stare at the clouds. "Hoshigaki Kisame was one of the most powerful swordsmen in Kiri, now he's a missing-nin, a criminal…" A sad smile crossed her face. "And I'm his daughter."

Bankotsu blinked. "So… instead of hunting him like you told the vendor you would, you're just looking for him?" At her nod, he smirked. "And I'm just along for the ride, ne?"

She laughed. "Yep! I'm dragging you every step of the way."

* * *

Kisame hung back behind Itachi as they passed an old well somewhere in Ame. "Has it really been twelve, almost thirteen years?" Itachi turned back to him, silently asking if everything was alright.

"Kisame." The shark-nin turned to follow his partner, shrugging slightly to show that he was fine. He had never told Itachi about his daughter, just as Itachi had never told him about Sasuke before the younger Uchiha showed up.

_Somehow, Kagome, I know you're alive, and I've been thinking about you more and more lately, and I know Itachi has noticed. I'll find you, I promise._

* * *

Bankotsu was twitching, never a good sign, and Kagome standing between him and the source of his irritation was probably the only thing keeping Suigetsu's head from rolling to the floor. They had come across Team Hebi completely by accident after about a week of searching for signs of Akatsuki. Sasuke had allowed them to join because they had proven themselves strong, and they could occupy Kisame while he killed Itachi.

Karin hadn't taken to their joining too well, considering it a threat to her nonexistent chances with 'Sasuke-kun!' Juugo had immediately taken a liking to Kagome, something Ban wasn't too thrilled about, because he said that she was able to keep him calm. Suigetsu and Bankotsu were too much alike to get along well, but they had developed a sort of kinship.

Sasuke still spent most of his time off on his own, shrugging off Karin's advances easily while watching Ban and Suigetsu with something akin to jealousy. They were like he used to be with Naruto.

"Now, Ban, play nice." The miko smacked Suigetsu on the arm when he laughed. "You too, Suigetsu-san." Her eyes drifted to Zabuza's sword before darting away. "Juugo-kun and I will go hunt dinner."

Sasuke watched her start to walk away with eyes narrowed slightly in sympathy. He had confronted her on why she rarely looked Suigetsu in the eyes and why she flinched whenever he used Kubikiri Houcho. _"I knew Zabuza before he was a missing-nin,_" she had replied._ "Haku-chan, too, so seeing the proof that they're dead is a little hard on me."_ He had simply nodded and left it at that.

"Sasuke-kun!" Kagome hadn't made it out of the clearing yet and turned with Juugo to see what had the deranged kunoichi so excited. "I sense Itachi and Kisame! They're fighting the Kyuubi vessel!"

Immediately, Karin was pressed again a tree, the Uchiha holding her neck, Sharingan active and spinning. "I told you," his voice came out as a growl, "not to call him that."

Bankotsu was the only one to notice Kagome tense, hope flaring in her eyes. "What are we waiting for, then?"

They were jumping through the trees in less than five minutes. Sasuke following Karin's directions just this once, praying that they didn't get there too late. _Naruto…_

Bankotsu stopped at the edge of the battlefield and pulled Kagome back. "Don't let him think that you're against him, Kag – that would be a very awkward reunion." She reluctantly nodded and watched all three separate groups stare each other down.

They must have talked because in a sudden flurry of motion, it was an all out battle-melee. Kagome watched Suigetsu attack her father with trepidation, hoping that neither were truly hurt, but she knew from the fluctuations of her father's aura that he was not pleased with someone else using Kubikiri Houcho.

She didn't pay attention to any of the other fights, though Ban was conscious of Karin fighting a girl with pink hair and Juugo was fighting someone who could control wood. Suigetsu was joined in fighting Kisame by a boy who looked like Sasuke and Sasuke himself was fighting Itachi with a kitsune boy.

Ban glanced at her before narrowing his eyes at the battle. "Be ready to create a distraction for a retreat – they're getting overpowered. I'll help your dad."

Before she could respond, the mercenary had hefted Banryuu higher over his shoulder and jumped in front of Suigetsu, blocking his attack. The other swordsman's eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing, Ban-no-baka?!"

Bankotsu smirked cockily with a tinge of sadness. "Gomen, but I can't let you kill him – Kagome would be upset."

Kisame stared at him in shock from his standstill with Sai. _Kagome?_

"Kisame, we're retreating." Itachi looked a little worse for the wear and exhausted. His partner wanted to question the new boy, but nodded and pushed Sai away.

"You're not getting away, Itachi!" Sasuke ran to follow them, but a whip hit him across his chest, stopping him. "Kagome? You're letting them get away!"

The miko stood still with a small smile on her face. Bankotsu was standing at the tree line with Kisame and she could sense Itachi just a little ways ahead. "I never said that I wanted to kill Hoshigaki Kisame, you just assumed that. Besides," she grinned at them, surprising Team Hebi and Team Kakashi. "Why would I want to kill my father?"

"Kag, we're leaving."

"Hai!" She disappeared only to reappear beside Ban and they all used a teleportation technique. Sasuke slammed Kusanagi into the ground, yelling in frustration.

* * *

Itachi was leaning against a tree, watching the scene before him in curiosity. Kisame wasn't letting the girl more than an arm's length away from him and continually alternated between grinning and glaring at the boy with the braid as he told his partner the story behind how he met the girl. 

"So let me get this straight, first you tried to kill her, not you're her best friend?"

Bankotsu smirked and leaned back a little bit. "Yeah, that's about right. I think trying to harm her in some way is a prerequisite for being her friend. Inuyasha tried to kill her, the hentai houshi tried to kidnap her, the taijiya tried to kill them all, the baka-okami _did_ kidnap her and so on and so forth."

Kagome smiled gratefully to him since he left out her kit. Itachi decided he was tired of being out of the loop and called his partner, silently demanding an explanation. Kisame merely grinned proudly and put his arm around her shoulders. "Itachi-san, this is my daughter, Kagome."

If he was surprised, the Uchiha didn't show it, but he did incline his head politely, running his eyes over her. She was beautiful now that her hair was down, even with his decaying vision he could see that, and her eyes shone brilliantly.

"Itachi-san?" He blinked to show he heard her and she tilted her head to the side. "Are you going blind?" He gave a short nod, his mind working furiously, trying to figure out how she knew. She bit her lip hesitantly. "I can heal your eyes, if you want."

The Uchiha glanced at his partner to see a reassuring nod before shrugging. Not many people realized how well the two of them were able to read each other. Itachi had just asked Kisame's opinion, and the blue-skinned man had replied that, if anyone could do it, Kagome could.

Kagome stood and walked to where the Uchiha sat and knelt beside him, ignorant of Bankotsu's jealous glare, though the Akatsuki members were not. Kisame smirked at Itachi who was holding in his own. Oh, the fun they could have by messing with the boy's mind.

The miko placed her hands over his eyes and closed her own. The blindness was sinking into his eyes like a curse. Her miko ki surrounded the damaging darkness, purifying it while she hoped he wasn't in pain.

After five minutes, she removed her hands and waited for him to open his eyes. When he did, he was surprised to find how clearly he could see her face. She smiled warmly at him and made to stand up.

Itachi's hand reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back down, on top of him. "Itachi-sa – " Her inquiry was cut off as he gently kissed her, ignoring the furious sputtering of the long-haired mercenary and the protective glare from his partner.

He made use of her gasp of surprise to deepen the kiss softly, not pushing her in anyway. When he finally pulled back for the lack of air, he was pleased with the flush of her cheeks and her dazed eyes. "Arigatou."

The miko blushed even more and swiftly went back to her father's side in embarrassment. Itachi glanced at the fuming mercenary while running his tongue over his lips, faintly realizing that he had made a rival of his new ally. _She tastes sweet…_ He returned to looked at his overprotective partner and his daughter. _Things will definitely be more interesting now, but I can't seem to mind._

Itachi shared a glance with Kisame and the swordsman scowled darkly, understanding what Itachi had meant. _If you think I'm bad, wait until the others see her._

_

* * *

_

AN: Lol! I love the ending! I worked a long time on this one, so please tell me what you think!

Thank you all for reading and please leave me with a review! If you have a request, which I'm strongly encouraging, please state a pairing and a loose plotline that I can work with - it's hard if you just leave the pairing. Thank you all again!


	46. Snake's Secret

Snake's Secret

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Orochimaru watched Sasuke train, the Sannin's usual smug smirk missing from his pale features. The Uchiha was going to be great and the perfect vessel for him. The snake narrowed his eyes when he caught sight of the Sharingan, and a grin with flashing eyes passed through his mind. "Tch." He turned away and strode down the hall. 

_How long has it been? Since you died?_ His interest in the Uchiha and the Sharingan wasn't just from his dream to learn every jutsu in existence, it also came from something deeper. The ex-Sannin entered his quarters, locking the door behind him so even Kabuto couldn't get in. _Kagome._

In a corner of his room, there was a hidden door that he wanted to keep away from the prying eyes of even his most trusted. Sliding it to the side, his eyes softened. It was a small shrine with a picture of an Uchiha woman with a ring beside it. "It's been a while Kagome."

His voice was soft and an imperceptible smile graced his lips. "I'm sorry that I haven't had time to visit." He knelt in front of the shrine, keeping his eyes locked on the picture. "I have the last Uchiha as a student now…" He continued telling her about what he had been doing, not sparing any details and with those details, he told her his darkest secrets. "I was happ0y, when Sensei died. It was the death he deserved, in battle and with a smile, if it did cost me my arms."

Uchiha Kagome had been his best friend as a child, two geniuses in the academy. When they were genin, they still spent their free time together. She had achieved her Sharingan at a young age, though not as young as Itachi had, and he helped her train it.

"Sasuke has matured his Sharingan, just like you did, but Itachi told him to get the Mangekyou…" His gaze lowered to the ring and the garnet shimmering in the faint light. "I remember… when the clan wanted you to get it…"

* * *

"Oro-kun…" Orochimaru turned around, brows furrowed as he saw the shaky smile on his friend's face. "Anou… sorry I'm late." Her voice faded as he approached.

"What's wrong, Kagome-chan?" His eyes narrowed when she wouldn't meet his gaze. She had never been afraid of him or nervous, even when they were in the academy. "Kagome-"

"The council wants me to kill you." His eyes widened and he nearly took a step back. Her eyes were shadowed and she was trembling. "They want me to kill you so I can get the Mangekyou…" He looked at her face and caught a glimpse of tears. "I… I don't know what to do…"

The jounin's yellow eyes softened and he put his hands on her shoulders. Immediately, she fell against him, his vest muffling her sobs. She wasn't like any other Uchiha, she was warm and kind, but that wasn't accepted in her clan. "It'll be okay."

Maybe it was his words, his determined tone, or just his presence, but she calmed down. They stood together for a long time.

* * *

"It was shortly after that, wasn't it? That they killed you?" His eyes were overshadowed with memory. "I had planned to propose to you. I even had Jiraiya help me with the ring and everything, but they killed you, blaming it on a mission… Tsunade couldn't heal you in time, and you died in my arms…" 

His eyes were closed and he bent his head so his silky hair fell around him. "I wanted revenge on them so badly, but I knew I couldn't, not yet."

It was after that that he had started to change, to become colder and more like what everyone knew him as now. He wanted to make the Uchiha pay, and he planned to do that by becoming immortal and learning more jutsu than they could, even with the Sharingan. He started his experiments and took on Anko in his free time, to keep his mind off of her. It hadn't worked, and eventually Itachi had wiped out the clan.

"When I became a missing-nin, when Jiraiya came to try to stop me, we didn't really fight… But I told you this before, didn't I?" He had bared his soul to Jiraiya that day, to the one person that knew everything, and his best friend had let him go. "I never did get to thank him, though I suppose we're even now – he had wanted Sensei's death to be one of pride in battle, too."

He thought back to when he saw his old team. He and Jiraiya hadn't truly fought, though it seemed like they had. He knew the jinchuuriki was Jiraiya's student, so he never truly meant to kill the boy, he knew Jiraiya would stop him, but he hadn't expected Tsunade. "I nearly killed her, Kagome, then she nearly killed me… what happened to my family?"

He was happy that Tsunade was Hokage now – it would be good for her. Jiraiya was taking the blonde on a training trip, and the Snake Sannin almost hoped that they swung by to visit. It had been so long since he had a decent conversation with his old friend.

"I'm getting my revenge for you, Kagome. What better revenge than to take the last of the clan that killed you as my vessel?" The sickening smirk he was not known for crossed his face. "Once our revenge is finished, I'll be with you again, I promise."

He could feel Kabuto coming and shut the door to her shrine, locking it and returning to the sinister Sannin that he was known as to all but his best friend – to all but the one who knew his secret.

* * *

AN: And that's the OrochimaruKagome! I wasn't too sure about this one, but whatever.

Okay, about 'Kisame's Daughter', two words: holy crap. I got over thirty reviews for that one! Why can't I get that many for _every_ chapter? Keh... Anyway, there will be two more parts to it, though I'm afraid I don't know when I'll have them up. One will be where Kagome and Ban meet the rest of Akatsuki, and the last will be a confrontation between Akatsuki, Team Hebi, Team Kakashi, and... Inuyasha. Dundundun dun! Not expecting that one, were ya? ;P

Okay, here's the poll for Kagome's pairing for the next two episodes of Kisame's Daughter: KagomeBan, KagomeItachi, KagomeHidan, KagomeDeidara, or Kagome-and-all-the-above. Vote please!

Thank you all for reading and please leave me a review!


	47. Inuzuka Kagome

Inuzuka Kagome

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

A young girl, barely a teenager, watched with sad yet proud sapphire eyes as her younger brother received the telltale fang tattoos of their clan on his cheeks. Kiba was lucky – he was chosen by one of the ninken puppies in the latest litter, Kuromaru's litter. _Congrats, Kiba-chan…_

Inuzuka Kagome turned away from the ceremony, hating the feeling of her mother's disappointed gaze on her. Kagome was the second of Inuzuka Tsume's three children. Hana was the eldest, and she was studying to become a veterinarian for shinobi animals. Kiba was the youngest and already the clan could see the potential he had to become an incredible fighter.

Then, there was Kagome. The ebony-haired girl sighed as she slipped off the clan grounds. She was an amazing shinobi in her own right and was currently a low ANBU, but as far as her clan was concerned, she was a failure. No matter how many birthings she attended, Kagome had not been chosen to be a ninken's partner.

Kagome reached the ANBU headquarters and made her way to her room. As a child, she had wanted to be just like her mother: a powerful warrior with a loyal ninken like Kuromaru. When she reached the age of nine, though, when she became a jounin, Kagome had started to loose faith in her dream. Now, on the day she turned thirteen, her seven-year-old brother was chosen by a cute white puppy that he ironically named Akamaru.

Falling on her bed with a muffled sigh, Kagome closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling. The moment she walked into her mother's home, Kiba had run up to her, his black eyes shining with unbridled excitement, the white puppy in his arms. She had completely let go of her dream then, letting it fall and shatter into too many pieces to put back together.

Her birthday had been completely forgotten, but Kagome would never begrudge Kiba for that – he deserved this celebration.

A knock sounded from her door, soft but firm and even. She smiled slightly at the familiar sound and didn't bother composing herself as she called for her visitor to come in. The door opened and she could hear the soft click of it being closed immediately after. Before long, a weight settled on the bed beside her and a hand began playing with her ebony mane. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself." Kagome sighed in contentment at the welcome sensation on her scalp before reluctantly rolling over to face the shinobi beside her. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Taichou?" He didn't answer, but she felt her heart swell a little. Over the past year under his command, Kagome had learned to read her captain, if only a little. When he was silent after that question, it meant that he had no reason to be there – no mission, no investigation, nothing.

The black-haired boy only a little older than her kicked his legs onto the bed beside her and laid back, red eyes closed. Kagome shifted so her head was on his shoulder and her hand on her chest. "Kiba was chosen today…"

"So I heard. Fugaku was raving about how there could be a threat to the Uchiha spotlight." Kagome raced invisible patterns through his shirt, understanding the spite hidden in his voice. "They didn't forget you, did they?"

The fingers trailing over his shirt stopped and the girl they belonged to didn't respond, giving her guest his answer. His normally indifferent expression darkened to a scowl and he moved to sit up, intent on making them suffer.

Kagome's eyes widened in slight fear, before she rolled on top of him. Her soulful sapphire orbs stared deep into his own red ones, pleading with him as her legs held him in place. "No! Taichou, don't… please…"

He stared up at her, surprise written lightly across his face as she bit her bottom lip nervously. "It was for Kiba, and I'm okay with that, so please, don't kill them…"

The captain sighed and nodded once before laying back down. His response elicited a grateful smile from the girl above him and he couldn't bring himself to regret the decision. "You are far too selfless, Kagome – how you made it into ANBU, I will never know." She blushed prettily as he raised a hand to run it through her hair again. "Though I'm glad you did."

The girl smiled and leaned down to rest her head against his shoulder again. "No kidding – you probably would've massacred everyone without me." The slightest falter in the strokes through her hair caused her to look up. "Itachi – Mmph!?"

After a few moments, he pulled away, leaving her flushed and panting. "You know how I react when you say me name." She blushed and buried her face in his chest, thinking that, sometimes, he was far too mature for his own good. "I'm afraid I have to admit that I had an ulterior motive for coming today."

Kagome immediately groaned and sat back up, not realizing that she was now straddling him, though the Uchiha did and didn't say anything. "Nani?" In a flash of movement, something cold touched her neck and she tensed, years of training overriding the knowledge that he would never harm her. She looked down and gasped. There was an inch-long ruby teardrop resting in the hollow of her collar bone, attached to a black silk ribbon.

"Happy birthday." Kagome looked up into the Sharingan and hugged him tightly, missing the smile flitting across his lips.

* * *

"So, what do I owe the honor of this visit, Itachi-san?" The Sharingan gazed indifferently at the Inuzuka Clan head, knowing that the huge black dog at her side would do nothing to him. He had waited two weeks for Kagome to be out of the village on a mission to talk to her mother, and he wasn't going to back down now, even if Kagome wouldn't have approved.

"I'm here in concern for your daughter, Tsume-san."

This brought growls and scowls from the Inuzuka Council and their partners. Tsume managed to stay in control of her expression and merely frowned thoughtfully. "Hana-chan? Is something the matter? Also, I was under the impression that you weren't acquainted with her."

"I am not." The murmuring paused and Itachi continued without taking note of it. "I'm referring to Inuzuka Kagome, one of the ANBU under my command." His hard eyes met hers and she instantly became defensive. "It has come to my attention that she is not performing as adequately as usual, and it seems you are the cause."

Kuromaru began to growl angrily and Tsume's frown deepened. "Kagome only came home for part of Kiba's initiation ceremony before I assumed she was called away; other than that, she hasn't been around enough for me to have upset her."

Itachi merely rolled his eyes at how oblivious the woman was. "Either you truly don't care or you're trying to play me as a fool, Tsume-san." This brought the full scowl that she had been suppressing to the surface. "I have access to the records of all of my ANBU, and one standard piece of information is date of birth."

Tsume sat in confusion while a few of the council members scoffed. "Is that why you're here? Because _she_ asked you to bring something so insignificant to our attention?" Itachi glanced to the speaker and narrowed his eyes when he saw that it was Kagome's grandfather, one of the ones who hurt her the most with his words.

"Kagome-san does not know that I'm here. In fact, when I confronted her, she asked that I not come to see you at all." A gasp of realization brought his gaze back to a now shameful Tsume. "I see that you realize what you've done." Kuromaru whined as the clan leader placed a clawed hand over her eyes. "I hope you know that, though she is in ANBU, Kagome-san is still a child in many ways."

"What of you then?" The sneer from Kagome's grandfather didn't cause Itachi to do more than blink. "You're her age, aren't _you _a child?"

"I was never allowed the pleasure of a childhood." There was a hard edge to his voice that caused the old man to draw back in fear of the glare boring into him. "Our clan is different than yours, so do not pretend to understand it."

Itachi let his Sharingan rest on everyone seated in the room before rising. "I trust you will find a way to fix what you've caused, Tsume-san, but if not…" He walked to the door and slid it open, not bothering to look back. "I'm afraid I will have to find a means of… _distracting_ Kagome-san."

Tsume's head rose with an audible snap and she snarled at his back. "Don't you dare lay a hand on my daughter – do you hear me, _Uchiha?!"_

Itachi did hear her, but he just didn't care and strode out calmly.

* * *

Kagome sighed as she turned around to close the door to her room at headquarters. She had just got back from a weeklong mission and she wanted to sleep. The young ANBU had vaguely noted that there were very few people around the base, but she was too tired to think on it.

The door closed with soft click and she yelped when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. "Boo." The indifferent voice calmed her and she immediately relaxed.

Itachi chuckled lightly at her before stepping back and allowing her to move. "Hey, Taichou." She smiled at him before yawning. "So tired…" The ebony-haired ANBU let him lead her to the bed and lay her down, taking off her armor as he went.

Once she was settled in, he sat on her bed, stroking her hair lightly. Her eyes closed and she took in his scent. "You smell like blood, or is that me?..." She didn't receive a reply and was slowly lulled to sleep by the hand in her hair.

Itachi stayed long after she was asleep, knowing that this was the last place the other ANBU would look for him, and Kagome hadn't been back long enough for her to know about the massacre. "You'll never forgive me, will you?"

Kagome remained asleep and he let his hand continue to drift through her hair. Itachi had never shown the true extent of his feelings for her, and now, thanks to his and Madara's plan finally coming into completion, he didn't know when he would see her again.

Leaning down, the Uchiha gently pressed his lips to her cheek. "I have to leave now, but we'll meet again, someday, Kagome…" He traced the teardrop around her neck with a fingertip before vanishing in the darkness.

* * *

Kagome walked into her mother's estate, face blank of all emotion. The only reason she was back was because she wanted to check on Kiba, who had just been released from the hospital after the Uchiha Retrieval attempt. It was her eighteenth birthday, marking the fifth year since _his_ betrayal since she didn't bother to remember the exact date. Under her shirt, a ruby teardrop rested warmly around a black silk ribbon.

She could hear her little brother long before she even reached his room, and it brought a small smile to her lips. He hadn't changed much over the years with Akamaru loyally at his side. He also hadn't stopped idolizing her, even though she still didn't have a partner – she had stopped attending the birthings after… her thirteenth birthday.

Sliding the door open, Kagome took in the female jounin and two genin beside her brother. "Hello, Kiba-chan." Her smile grew as he immediately turned to grin at her, despite the slight blush on his face from the suffix. "I hope you didn't cause too much trouble at the hospital."

One of the genin, a strangely shy Hyuuga, blushed in embarrassment, though Kagome didn't know why, while the other genin, a silent boy with a huge trench coat, watched her carefully. The jounin narrowed her eyes at the ANBU, but Kagome merely shrugged off her glare easily – _his_ glares used to be a lot worse.

Kiba kept up his grin and Akamaru barked happily from beside his partner. "Guys, this is my amazingly awesome ANBU sister, Kagome!"

Said ANBU smiled kindly at all of them. "You must be Kiba-chan's team – thank you for putting up with him for so long." She laughed airily at her brother's playful 'Hey!' and moved to pet Akamaru, careful of his injuries.

"Inuzuka Kagome." She looked up at his sensei, curious blue eyes meeting stern brown ones. "You were under the command of that traitor, Uchiha Itachi, correct?"

Akamaru whined in distress as Kagome immediately blocked all emotion from her face and scent. Kiba tensed and sent his teacher a warning glance, though the genjutsu mistress didn't pay attention. Kagome stood straighter and held the other woman's gaze. "Yuuhi Kurenai. One thing you must understand is that his betrayal hurt our unit the most, second only to Uchiha Sasuke."

Kiba turned his face away from the two so only the genins could see his snarl. "During the time before he left, Uchiha Itachi was the only support I had – his betrayal cut too deep for me to truly care about anyone else, except Kiba, for a long time." Her hard voice caused the jounin to flinch slightly.

Kagome turned to walk out of the room, pausing at the door but not looking back. "To be brutally honest, if all the other Uchiha were anything like the last two, I would say that it's a good thing Itachi killed them off." The door shut behind her.

Through the door, Kagome could hear Kiba yelling at his sensei angrily. "I barely get to see her as it is, and she's really sensitive about that! _Why_ did you have to bring that up _now?_" The ANBU sighed and leaned back against the screen. She didn't want to cut her time with Kiba short, but if she had stayed longer, she might have let slip something that should remain kept a secret.

She had been extremely careful with how she worded her response to the jounin – her answer sounded harsh and hateful, but if looked at the right way, her real answer could be seen. 'Anyone else, except for Kiba, for a long time.' What she truly meant was that she couldn't care about anyone but Kiba and _Itachi_ for a long time, and her heart was just now starting to let others in.

Kagome closed her eyes tightly to stop the tears from flowing. Hearing that he had murdered his clan the night she came back had hurt more than she had ever imagined, but knowing that he had come to see her, even with the danger… that had made her heart soar.

The ANBU sighed and turned away from her brother's room only to see her mother at the other end of the fall, Kuromaru at her side and a bundle of cloth in her arms.

Tsume smiled a little and motioned with her head for her daughter to come closer. When Kagome reached her, the clan head held out the bundle in her arms. "Usually, I wouldn't have allowed this, _at all_, but I guess I owe the two of you this much."

Kagome blinked in confusion before a small nose poked out of the cloth and a whine hit her ears, causing her eyes to widen. _No… way…_ The ANBU watched in awe as a black puppy wriggled its way out of the cloth around it, eyes closed against the light.

Kagome looked at her mother for confirmation before she gently took the small ninken into her arms. The pup reached out to lick her face, releasing a canine sound of joy.

The puppy was pure black with a silver bow around his neck as a collar. Red eyes blinked in the sunlight at the ninken yipped at her. Tied to the ribbon around his neck was a ruby teardrop, a replica of the one under the ANBU's shirt.

Kagome carefully held him to her chest, tears filling her eyes. "Okaa-sama…"

"I know who it's from, but let's just keep that between you and me, ne?" The smile on Tsume's face made Kagome feel like a little girl admiring her mother again, and a grin split her face – the first one in years. "Happy birthday."

"Arigatou, 'Kaa-sama!"

* * *

Sharingan eyes watched the scene silently, taking in the joy in her face and eyes. That emotion… _How long has it been since I've felt that? Since the last time I saw her?_ Seeing the light in her eyes, Uchiha Itachi felt a small spark of happiness deep within him, though it was a far cry from the joy she was feeling.

"So that's her, ne?" The guttural voice of Itachi's partner sounded from behind him. "She's cute." As preposterous as it was, Itachi couldn't stop his fists from clenching in jealous anger at the blue-skinned shinobi. As if sensing his ire, Kisame quickly changed the subject. "Well, we better check on the Kyuubi's condition so Leader-sama doesn't get suspicious."

Itachi nodded and felt Kisame turn to leave the clan compound while he paused to look back at his old friend. "Happy birthday, Kagome." His unspoken words hung in the air as he vanished.

"_I love you."_

AN: I liked the idea behind this one, though I'm not sure I liked how I wrote it out. ; I don't know anything about the Inuzuka Clan's traditions and such (the markings and how they get their ninken, if that's even what their partners are called) so I pretty much made a whole bunch of stuff up. Also, 'Aka' means read, so that's why Kagome thinks that it's ironic that Kiba named a _white_ puppy _Aka_maru.

For the sequels to Kisame's Daughter, I'm afraid that they won't be coming out anytime soon. My apologies. The polls are going as follows, KagomeDeidara: 1, KagomeItachi: 2 (I actually expected more for that one), KagomeBan: 5, KagomeHidan: 0, KagomeSasori (added at one reviewer's request): 1, Kagome-all-the-above: 12. As you can see, that last one's leading the others by a landslide.

Thank you all for reading and please leave me a review with your thoughts on just about anything, be it a vote, request or a real review!


	48. Not Good with Words

Not Good with Words

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Inuyasha.

* * *

Kagome slumped against a tree, looking up at the clouds. She didn't have any missions for a while and fully intended to spend her break doing absolutely nothing – she could use the rest. Actually, Tsunade's strategist, Shikamaru, was the one to convince the Hokage to give her a break – she would have to thank him for that…

"Don't you have better things to be doing than this while on your break? Like shopping or something?" The lazy voice drew her attention to the side where a jounin with a pineapple hair-style stood watching her languidly. The miko smiled at him, looking him over once.

He was actually very attractive, but his everything-is-too-troublesome-to-bother attitude tended to drive people away a bit. "No, I don't have anything better to do, especially not shopping. Oh, thank you for getting me this break in the first place."

The Nara sat beside her and grunted a troublesome in response to her thanks. If she had been looking, she would have seen the light blush dusting his cheeks.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a long while, just enjoying each other's company and watching the clouds. Kagome saw images of her friends in the fluffy white, but she had no idea what the Nara saw. She glanced over at him and smiled softly. He was someone she couldn't compare to anyone in the past, and that could have been what first drew her to him. If he didn't remind her of the past, she couldn't be guilt-ridden for comparing him to someone else.

"Ne, Kagome…" She perked up a little at the sound of his voice. "Do you…" He sighed and she turned to face him completely, curious. "Troublesome… I was never one for words anyway…" She gasped in shocked when he turned and pulled her onto his lap.

"Shikama-" Her question was cut off by his lips and she slowly relaxed. When he pulled away, she stared at him dazedly. "Wow… you're right – you aren't good with words." She grinned and leaned back up to him. "Yes, I'll go out with you."

* * *

AN: Meh, not sure if I like this one or not. ; Some of you were asking for a ShikaKag, and I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated. (I don't even KNOW how long, and THAT'S bad.) I've been working on some other stuff and haven't gotten the chance to post anything.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and please leave me with a review/request (preferably with a little bit of a plot) - I could use the inspiration.


	49. DeidaraNiiSan

Deidara-Nii-San - Sequel to _Sasori-Onii-Sama_

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to Inuyasha and/or Naruto.

Dedication: I'm dedicating this to my brilliant beta, Translucent Darkness, whose graduating this year; I'll miss her in college. Please check out her work - it's a bit morbid, but still very good!

* * *

Kagome ran across the sands, giggling as it scattered under her feet. Her black hair was tied up in a ponytail with most of it in several tiny braids falling from the band that held it up. She raced with the wind to the cave-filled rock cliffs, knowing food and family waited for her there. "Nii-sama! Tadaima!"

A red-haired man looked up from his work to acknowledge her as she climbed up the rocks and into their current cave. "Okaeri, Kagome-chan." She ran over to hug him and he set down his tools so they wouldn't harm her. "How was your run?"

Bright sapphire eyes shined up at him as she began to tell him all about the different creatures she met up with. He began working on his puppet again, only half-listening since she told him mostly about the same things every day. When she became quiet, he turned his attention back to her. "What's the matter?"

She shifted a little, her eyes on the ground. "Sasori-nii… your old partner – the one after Orochimaru… what was he like?"

The supposedly dead missing-nin narrowed his eyes slightly. He never did tell her about Deidara, mostly because, while he did wonder about the blonde explosion's specialist sometimes, he never found the need to tell her about him. "Deidara is a missing-nin from Stone and considered himself an artist…"

The reincarnated miko listened intently to her brother as he described Deidara. She didn't let him know that she had gained back her memories because, though she loved him dearly, she didn't think he would understand – he was a shinobi, and mikos were merely legends now. She still knew he loved her. She wasn't blind though – she also knew that her brother missed his old life, if only a little, and the way he recalled the blonde proved it.

"Now what brought this question about?"

Kagome blinked and became nervous again. It had been months since they left Suna, and she had received a few visions about what was going on in the world outside their cave; she never had the need to tell him about them until now, though. "I – I saw him today…" His eyes snapped to her and she shuffled uneasily. "It was kind of like a vision… He was fighting a black-haired boy with weird eyes."

Sasori's mind went to Itachi – Deidara hated him – but Kagome wouldn't have called him a boy. "A-And… Nii-sama, the boy's aura was dark purple, and he had wings!"

Crimson eyes hardened, and he began to pack his supplies. "Kagome, eat while you can – we're going to find my idiot partner." _If that was Orochimaru's apprentice, Deidara is most likely in trouble… Baka…_

The miko nodded and turned to the food above the fire. _If we make it in time…. They were pretty evenly matched._

* * *

"You're sure it was in this area, Kagome-chan?" The girl nodded as she walked behind her brother. They had just entered a forest, and she knew that they would be coming across the craters soon. Deidara was an explosion's specialist for a reason, and his opponent seemed to like using that lightning attack of his.

After a moment, Sasori cursed, and Kagome hid her face in his midnight black cloak. She didn't want to see the battlefield – it would only give her flashbacks of the final battle with Naraku… and the bodies. Her brother set his hand on her head, stroking her hair soothingly. "This is definitely the place, the idiot."

The puppet master picked his sister up so she wouldn't trip over rubble while she wasn't looking. He scanned the area, looking for any sign of the blonde missing-nin before moving to the next section of the battlefield. Deidara's chakre was so low that Sasori couldn't sense him, if he was alive at all.

Harsh breathing drifted to his ears just as he was beginning to give up, and Sasori moved toward the far end of the battlefield. The blonde was there, thrown onto his side from an explosion and his chest hanging open. The puppet master whispered for Kagome to keep her eyes closed, and he gently set her down.

Kneeling beside the Stone missing-nin, the redhead carefully turned him over to seal up his chest again and began healing what he could. A cough erupted from the blonde, bringing Sasori's eyes to his face. "I… must be in Hell now – I'm seeing Sasori-danna, un…"

"I'm afraid that you aren't that lucky, Deidara – you're not dead yet, and why would you think that, just because I'm here, that you would be in hell? It's insulting." The blonde frowned, his blue eyes trying to focus on his old partner.

"Then… How… You _died_, un… You can't be here." He stared at the puppet master in disbelief, but the proof of Sasori's existence was in the slow healing of his wounds. "No… way…"

The redhead smiled wryly and finished healing the injuries he could, sitting back. "I've done what I can – you're still a bloody mess, though, baka, and it's still possible that you'll die sometime in the night. Can you walk?"

Deidara stared at him incredulously. "What the hell, un? You say I could die then ask if I can walk, un?!"

Sasori smirked and stood, picking up his sister again. "Well, I can't very well carry both you and Kagome-chan, can I?" The blonde just stared at him in shock. "I could always _make_ you walk on your own, Deidara – chakre strings are very handy."

The Stone missing-nin cursed and tried to stand but collapsed on his back again, still cursing. "Nii-sama?" Sasori immediately ignored his old partner's shocked cry – he probably thought Sasori had turned the girl into a puppet or something – and focused on her. Though her eyes were closed, she felt his gaze and bit her lip nervously. "Anou… could I try to heal him? Like I did you in Suna?"

The puppet master furrowed his brow in thought, still ignoring Deidara's indignant outcries. "I suppose you may try, but I want you to stop the moment you feel drained, understood?" At her nod, he set her back on the ground by Deidara, guiding her hands above the wounds so she didn't have to see the carnage.

Deidara watched his old partner interact gently with the girl – it was different for him to see a gentle Sasori when he remembered how cruel the puppet master could be. And the girl was different as well – she was cute, for a kid, and innocent, but she was with a murderer and healing another. It just didn't make sense.

Blue light flowed out of the girl's – Kagome's – hands and roamed over his chest, and Deidara could feel the damage imposed by his jutsu healing as if the wounds had never been there. The blonde looked at his chest in awe. "Sugoi, un…" Kagome blushed and checked over him with her chakre one last time before slumping in exhaustion.

"You should be fine now, Deidara-nii-san…" Sasori chuckled at the shocked look on his old partner's face as he stood up once again with an already sleeping Kagome cradled in his arms.

"Come on, Deidara – I believe it's time we left before someone comes to check it out." The puppet master waited patiently as the blonde stood shakily before moving away from the battlefield, Kagome's head carefully tucked under his chin. _Nii-san, ne?_

Deidara followed his danna into the forest, his thoughts on the girl who healed him. _Nii-san?_ Looking at Sasori, he noticed the new way the redhead carried himself, almost as if he was free. _Heh, why not, un? If he can do it, so can I, un._

A grin appeared on his face as he walked faster to catch up with his new 'family.' _Plus, I'll be able to show her what art really is: a bang._

* * *

AN: I have to say that the last line has to be one of my favorites. Thank you all for reading! Just to let you know, I'm going to be out of the country all of next week and a little after, so I'm going to try to finish and post at least three more things before that. Hopefully one or two more things for this, and a YYHINU oneshot that I've been working on for... months now. ;

I'm still taking requests, though I believe that the other alternate ending for 'In the West' (which I don't like much, but we'll see how it goes) will be up next, hopefully followed by another RyuuKag, which will be longer than the other ones (I'm setting my standards WAY too high for myself these days.) When the sequel to Kisame's Daughter will be up, I honestly have no clue, but I AM working on it so, please give me OTHER requests to end my current writer's block, it'd be **_Extremely _**helpful. ; Now that you have listened to me rant for this long, please review/request!


	50. BackFired Revenge

Back-Fired Revenge

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to Inuyasha or Naruto.

* * *

Uchiha Madara stood in front of his statue, the collected bijuus' chakre flowing around him. "Soon… my dream will be complete, and the mistakes from so long ago will be repaid." His Sharingan glowed as the potent chakre flowed into him. Even without the Kyuubi's chakre, the bijuus were still incredibly powerful, and with Sasuke distracting Naruto and Konoha, Madara was free to take in the powerful chakre. A grin lit his masked face - he was _so close..._

"_Why do you push so hard for this, Madara-kun?"_ The Uchiha paused, his Sharingan widening in disbelief. It was impossible for him to hear that voice again – that person was _dead_. _"Can't you hear their screams, just as you can hear me? You're hurting them!"_ The gentle voice was saturated with sadness, haunting him.

"No…" Madara's hands came up to grasp his head as his Sharingan stared into space, trying to get rid of that haunting voice. "Shut up! That voice – it's just an illusion!" The flow of chakre around him was disrupted slightly and a shriek filled his ears, causing him to try covering them to block the horrific sound. "She's not real!"

"_Foolish ningen."_ The deep voice flooding his conscious sent waves of pain through the supposedly all-powerful Uchiha, bringing him to his knees. _"She is a part of all of us – did you truly think we would let her simply disappear from this world just because she was killed?"_

Memories flashed across Madara's mind – images of himself or Hashirama, sometimes both, laying in a field, an innocent, beautiful woman by their side, and a miniaturized Kyuubi at their feet. The Uchiha closed his eyes, trying to push aside the poignant images. "Those days… They don't exist anymore!"

* * *

"_Madara-kun…" Crystal blue eyes smiled at him as he opened his Sharingan. "Nii-sama says you shouldn't make yourself so vulnerable." The Uchiha groaned softly, knowing that her brother was behind her. "Kyuu-kun says that you're a baka."_

"_Oi!" Madara shot up into a sitting position, glaring at the laughing kitsune to the side of the blue-eyed girl. Deep laughter ringing around the clearing made him cringe. "Shodaime-sama."_

_Senju Hashirama smirked down at the Uchiha leader from behind his sister. "Uchiha-san." Though there was a peace between the Uchiha and the Senju clans, Madara and Hashirama still had a fierce rivalry between them. First that rivalry had been for the title of the Hokage, but now it was more for the attention of Hashirama's younger sister, Higurashi-Senju Kagome – though Kyuubi beat them both hands down._

_Madara turned his attention back to the black-haired girl now playing with the Kyuubi-no-Youko a little ways away from them, his Sharingan softening slightly. She had been adopted into the Senju clan for her amazing abilities with a katana and bow, as well as her strange connection with the bijuu – even the terrifying Kyuubi acted like a kit in her presence. She fit in perfectly with the Senju with their power to subdue the bijuu._

"_Watch your eyes, Uchiha." Madara scowled and turned his eyes back to the Hokage, whose narrowed eyes welcomed the glaring challenge. "Just because she's friendly with you doesn't mean I'm going to hand her to you."_

_Madara smirked, turning his head away arrogantly. "Hmph. I wouldn't wait for you to hand her to me – don't forget who I am, Hashirama – I would just take her." The Sharingan opened once more to watch the girl and her fox, ignoring the glare burning a hole through his head. "Be that as it may, she wouldn't be happy if I did, so I'm content for the time-being."_

"_Hn. You'll have a long wait, then." Hashirama turned his head away to watch his sister, his own eyes softening. "I'd sooner let her mate the Kyuubi than let her leave with you." Despite both men's high respect for each other, they hated each other with a passion. "You remember, don't you? How no one–"_

"_Is supposed to know of the Kyuubi's presence, yes, yes." Madara nearly rolled his eyes at the overprotective man, but he understood his reasoning perfectly – Kagome's safety would always come first, no matter who else was involved._

_The Uchiha leader smiled softly at the girl, truly hoping she would forgive him because he was not going to let her brother remain Hokage._

* * *

_Madara stood in the trees, watching dispassionately as a good piece of Konoha burned to the ground. It had taken a while, longer than he had hoped, but Kagome had finally opened back up to him after his battle with her brother at the Valley of the End. He and Kagome were both old now, though Kagome still looked as young as the day he met her._

_At least, she _had._ The former Uchiha leader sighed, leaning back against his tree. She was gone now – dead. That was the reason for the Kyuubi's sudden rage. She was killed by Konoha. Some crazy, drunken chuunin had been raving about her being a 'demon,' and people actually started to believe him. _

_Madara's fists clenched as his Sharingan narrowed at the flames. This 'Onigumo' was given more credit than both the Sandaime and the Yondaime, who claimed that her appearance was because of a genjutsu like the Sannin Tsunade's. The Uchiha could only hope Kyuubi gave Onigumo the most gruesome death possible before being sealed away, just as he knew the Yondaime would ensure._

_Kagome had actually contacted him, begging him to come get her since she wasn't safe in Konoha anymore. She would have just left herself, but… Madara let his head fall against the tree, blinking moisture from the Sharingan. Kagome had been with child – his child. Kyuubi knew this and travelled with him to find her. Now though, he was exacting his revenge._

_A roar filled Madara's ears, and he smirked. When they found her body surrounded by a mob, Kyuubi had lost it, growing to the monstrous size he was now and destroying everything._

_A final roar signaled the sealing of the Kyuubi, and Madara basked in the light of Konoha's flames. "All of Konoha will burn, if not today, then when I get the power to ensure that it does myself." Kagome would be avenged. Their child would be avenged. "Kagome…"_

* * *

"No!" Madara shook his head violently, trying to push away the memories. "She's gone… She's _dead!_" Kagome's smile flashed through his mind again, accompanied by the shriek of the bijuus. Madara's Sharingan shifted to his Mangekyou, and he grimaced in pain. "This… was for her! This was all for her!"

"_Fool."_ The deep voice shook his entire being. _"If it weren't for you, Kagome would have returned to us and _lived." The image of a silver-haired man with golden eyes standing beneath the Gobi-no-Hoko appeared in Madara's mind. _"Don't think that we will give you our power willingly. She lived with you, carried your child, but she loved us first, therefore she is _ours."

Madara didn't notice Sasuke and the Kyuubi jinchuuriki run into the chamber, stopping to stare at him in shock. "It's not my… It's not my fault! Konoha… Konoha killed her!"

Red chakre flooded around Naruto, and a tenor voice emerged from him, like the Kyuubi Madara used to know. "_Because she stayed for you! Damn it, Madara, this is why I call you evil! You can't let anything go!"_

The former Uchiha leader thrashed his head, praying that these past fifteen years were a bad dream. _"Madara-kun, stop."_ The soft, gently voice wrapped around him, eliciting a shudder. _"I'd don't want this, so please, stop hurting them."_

Madara felt moisture collecting in his eyes but tried to shake it away. "Don't… Don't take away what I've… what I've been working for… for fifteen years… Don't… Kagome, please."

Ethereal arms wrapped around his shoulders comfortingly. "_I'm happy as it is, Madara-kun, so please, stop hurting them."_ The Uchiha looked up to the statue, seeing the face of the would-be mother of his child. _"Everything is alright now, Madara-kun – you can rest now."_

The smile on her face never faltered as insubstantial fingers traced the markings on his mask. "Ka…gome…"

Sasuke didn't know what happened; one moment Madara was thrashing in pain, the next he was on the ground, unmoving. Naruto saw something completely different – otherworldly people standing around Madara, a beautiful but ordinary-looking woman with her arms around the Uchiha. At one point in the conversation, a red-haired man walked to the group from behind him, his tenor voice regretful. Cerulean eyes widened in shock. Those people were the bijuu, and they were killing Madara. After a bright flash of light, all of them were gone, and Madara was on the ground, unmoving.

* * *

AN: So... Uh... Alright, I'll just say this straight out. I haven't updated in forever, and probably will not update again for forever, either, but I have a perfectly good reason and I can sum it up in one word: school. On top the Hell that is my English homework, all my other homework, and my nonexistent social life, fanfiction isn't the most important thing right now. I apologize to everyone who is probably waiting behind the screens to beat me up with a steel bat (please don't) and I hope that you can accept the fact that I just can't write right now.

I'm still taking requests - they'll be information for once I get a break and can take some time to relax. Thank you all for reading, please don't kill me, and please review!


	51. Regret

Regret

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of or related to Inuyasha or Naruto.

* * *

Kagome hummed quietly to herself as she sat on a well in one of the training grounds her brother's team frequented, kicking her feet lightly. The eleven-year-old was waiting for her older brother to come get her, but Kakashi was late. Blue eyes narrowed at the tree line of the clearing. Kashi-nii was never late – that was Obi's job.

The girl sighed as she hopped down, ready to leave. Maybe Obi was late and Kashi-nii had to wait for him… They _were_ supposed to get back from the frontlines today, so Obi probably kept them backed up a couple hours. "Obi-no-baka… I barely get to see Kashi-nii as it is…"

Kagome had wanted to become a shinobi to help Kashi-nii keep their father's legacy alive, but after Sakumo committed suicide, her brother refused to let her, claiming that he didn't want to lose her to that life too. At first, Kagome resisted, but the pain and loneliness in his eyes made her stop. He was scared. Even if his dark eyes didn't show it, she could tell – an aftereffect of a dangerous past she couldn't remember.

She was often accused of being an empath, being able to sense everyone else's feelings, and Kagome didn't bother denying that. Obi got on her case about not sticking up for herself, but she just blinked up at him. _"Why should I when what they're saying is true? I'm not ashamed of it."_ Obito had stared at her thoughtfully, as if he was truly thinking about what she said.

Kagome and Kashi-nii were similar like that – they weren't ashamed of who they were. Kakashi was a child prodigy and a jounin already, and he had absolutely no problem rubbing that fact into Obito's face. Kagome was simply different than all the other children she knew. Sure, she played with them every once in a while, but she stayed outside most of the time – scaring Kashi-nii to death more than once.

Kagome looked at all the tress around her. Nature was peaceful, more so than the village anyway, and she felt like she was closer to something she was missing… something her soul was missing…

"Kagome-chan!"

Blue eyes darted up, and she was ready to scold her brother for being late, but she could only blink. "Obi-kun? What are _you_ doing here? Where's Kashi-nii?"

Obito scratched his head, laughing nervously. "Ah, well, you see about that…" Kagome narrowed her eyes at him, taking in his strange appearance. His forehead protector was scratched and dirty, his goggles were cracked, and she couldn't see his left eye. "He's kind of… beaten up, so he had to go to the hospital first, so I came to keep you company!" His signature grin wasn't as happy as it normally was, and for some reason, that bothered her more than she would admit.

Kagome stared at him, and her abilities from that past sparked to life. "You're…" Obito opened the one eye she could so, Sharingan bright, to look at her questioningly. "You're proud of yourself, and you regret… not being a better friend to Kashi-nii… while you had the chance… and something else…" The Uchiha gaped at her as her eyes widened. "You're dead."

"Uh… Yeah, actually." Obito settled on the ground, staring at her curiously. "Maybe you _are_ an empath of some sort…"

Kagome smiled slightly, lifting herself back onto the well. After her blunt statement, she felt tears come to her eyes from her own sadness showing through instead of someone else's – she used to cry for Kakashi when he couldn't. She may not have _liked_ Obito at times, but she certainly didn't want him dead. "So why did you come to visit me?"

Obito laughed a little, shifting in the sunlight, but Kagome saw that no shadow lay beneath him. "I told you, to keep you company! It's my fault Kakashi got beaten up and can't come get you, so it's the least I can do." He lone Sharingan stared up at her. "Why aren't you scared of me? Not that I'd rather have you screaming or anything, but… I'm a _ghost!"_

Kagome smirked, lifting her head to the blue sky above them. "Otou-san used to come visit when Kashi-nii was off on long missions."

Obito winced slightly. "Okay, creepy, but I suppose it's not than what I'm doing… I don't even know how I'm still here…"

Kagome looked back at him, her eyes wiser than and eleven-year-old's should be. "There's something else you want to do. For Tou-san, he wanted to watch over me; Kashi-nii could take care of himself, but I couldn't, so he'd come to make sure I was alright." Her blue eyes stared into the Sharingan, making him shiver. "So what did you want to tell me?"

Obito blinked, scrunching up his face as he thought. "Well, I suppose you can tell Kakashi that I don't blame him – I'm fine with what happened. I hope he doesn't have more nightmares though…" He mumbled the last part, and Kagome wondered how gruesome his death was if Kashi-nii would get nightmares.

"I'll be there for the dreams, if that's any help." Kagome smiled when the Uchiha spirit grinned in relief. "There's something else that you've hidden for a long time." His eye widened, telling Kagome she guessed right. "Otherwise, you would have faded to the afterlife already, like Tou-san."

Obito looked to the ground, embarrassed probably. "Ah… yeah… Kakashi would've killed me if he ever found out, so I didn't get to thank _that person_ for helping me be, well, me." Kagome tilted her head to the side as she watched her visitor stand up. "Oh well, I guess… it'll be okay… since I'll… fade afterwards."

Obito stepped up to her, his face serious, and Kagome felt a fluttering in her stomach, like butterfly wings, but she couldn't tell if it was her own feelings, or his. "What are you – "

Blue eyes widened in chock as his ethereal lips fell against hers softly. "Arigatou, Kagome-chan."

Obito was gone, as suddenly as he came, he was gone, and Minato-sama was entering the clearing. At the sight of the crystalline tears falling from her face, he rushed to her side, asking if she was alright, but Kagome didn't acknowledge him.

Her tears were a mix of Obito's Minato's, though he tried to hide it… and her own. "Obito…" Her shoulders shook and Minato, not knowing how she could have known already, pulled her into a comforting embrace. "Obito, you _idiot…_ You should have told me earlier!"

* * *

AN: Okay, so I _totally_ did not expect to be updating again so soon, but I had some freetime today and whipped this up. KagObito, a bit sad, but hey, that's how it goes. So... This is probably it for the next few weeks, though I do have a poll on my profile about what the next chapter will be, and I'm still taking requests, so please check that out. I'm going to add a second poll later on for the pairing of the sequels to 'Kisame's Daughter' because, quite frankly, I lost the tally sheet. ^^;

Please review and leave a request if you so wish!


	52. Changes

Changes: How do We Deal with This?

Disclaimer: I own nothing of or related to _Inuyasha_ or _Naruto._ My brother does, however, own Ryuu.

* * *

Kagome mumbled in her sleep before suddenly striking out with her hand, smacking the man who had been trying to wake her in the face. The black and blue-haired man's head shot to the side, blinking in surprise. "Ouch." He raised a hand to force his head back into its proper position. "That's going to leave a mark."

The miko yawned as she sat up and stretched, taking note of the icy glare directed at her. "Eh? What's wrong, Ryuu-kun?"

The dragon shinobi dead-panned for a moment before sighing, "Nothing, Miko-chan." He smiled innocently at her scowl and stood up. "I was actually hoping you could tell me where we are, since I don't recognize the terrain."

Kagome blinked, her anger disappearing as awe took its place. The sun shone brightly through the leaves above them, and the breeze whispered around them gently. The tree trunk behind her was large with a scar about nine feet up from the ground, six feet from the roots she was laying in. "This is… Sengoku Jidai…"

Ryuu's face scrunched up in confusion. "Eh?" He stared at the small trails of smoke rising over the tress. _Must be a village of some sort._ "This is where you came from?" He glanced at her nod and frowned. "I suppose that makes sense; you came to Konoha when you were attacked right? So it's the same deal now, except I got dragged along."

Kagome looked to the ground in worry. "Do you think Naruto is okay? Madara's Sharingan…"

Ryuu grimaced at her tone of voice – he hated to hear her upset. He sighed and knelt in front of her with a confident grin. "Don't worry, Miko-chan. Dickless may be dickless, but he's not completely stupid. Besides, the old hag won't let him get caught."

Kagome stared at him before stating wryly. "You've spent too much time around Sai-san."

Ryuu laughed as he stood back up. "He may be a bastard like Uchiha-teme, but he has some good nicknames." He grinned down at her, reaching a hand out to help her up. "You know I do it to rile him up; it's fun to make fun of my 'adopted little brother.'"

Kagome's laughter was cut short when Ryuu tensed, his pupils narrowing to slits. "Someone is coming." The scent on the wide was wet dog, and Ryuu grimaced. "Smells bad… and angry."

Kagome stood beside him, her hand on her kunai pouch. She knew that there were dangerous and evil things in this land, and it comforted her that her partner had his hand on the katana strapped to his waist. If something truly terrible came, they would take care of it.

"Wench!"

Ryuu raised a questioning eyebrow at the raging twitch under his partner's eye, but before he could question it, she opened her mouth to shout. "OSUWARI!

There was a loud crash follow by various cries of her name. Kagome ran toward the oncoming group, a tearful smile on her face as she hugged them. The woman in a kimono was openly crying as she clung to the miko, and the man was holding back tears. The little boy with them latched his arms around the girl's neck silently, not seeming to be certain that she was there.

Ryuu watched all of them silently, his face indifferent. They were being too loud – anyone could hear them. He pursed his lips in irritation as he saw Kagome not taking any notice of the most basic thing he taught her. _This_ is what he was afraid of. He could already see all of her training going down the drain.

A flash of red caught his eye, and he turned to the fuming silver-haired, dog-eared man running up to them. Slit ice blue eyes narrowed before Ryuu turned to his partner. "Oi, Kagome-chan, this ugly lookin' fellow a friend of yours too?"

The rejoicing reunion stopped abruptly at the sound of his voice, and he resisted the urge to roll his eyes – if they had only just noticed him, he didn't know how any of them had survived so far. Kagome nodded at his question, already knowing who he was talking about. "Hai. Guys, this is Ryuu, he's been taking care of me while I was… away." The sword-wielding shinobi plastered on a grin and raised a hand in greeting as she named all of her friends. "Inuyasha, stop growling or I'll say 'it' again."

The hanyou continued to growl, alternating his glare between the miko and the shinobi. "Well, you're back now, so he can go to hell for all I care. _We'll_ protect you now."

Ryuu narrowed his eyes again, his hand slowly tightening around his katana. "As happy as I am to know Kagome-chan will be taken care of for now – Kami knows all the trouble she gets into," he ignored her deadly glare. "I can't exactly go anywhere." The suspicious, questioning gazes aimed at him nearly made his laugh. _Idiots._ "Kagome-chan was transported to an entirely different _world_; I'm from there, and I currently have no idea on how to get back." Ryuu leveled an unwavering gaze over all of them. "I'll be around until I can go back."

The miko smiled at him, seemingly thankful that he was staying. The shinobi stared at her for a moment, not showing any emotion before he smiled a little. _Maybe if I'm around, I'll be able to keep her from falling apart._ He really didn't like the look the hanyou was giving them – he meant something bad.

* * *

Kagome sat around the campfire with her friends, just like she had before she went to Konoha. Inuyasha was staring moodily at the flames, and she could feel Ryuu resting in the tree behind her. He hadn't told any of her friends about all that he could do with his chakre, which she didn't understand, but respected. He had been secretive among other shinobi, but she knew why for that, there were spies among shinobi. She didn't understand why he would be so secretive with the people she trusted the most. These were her _friends_; they would never betray her.

She often tried to tell them about how great he was _because _she trusted them. When she did, though, something distracted them, and it had become too convenient to be coincidence. He never used his jutsu in battles, just his sword, and she didn't participate in them much, just the occasional arrow. It was just alike before, and Ryuu was so quiet that it was like he wasn't there at all.

"Kagome! Kagome!" Shippo bounced in her lap, her kunai pouch in hand. "What's this? I found it in your bag."

The miko blinked. "Oh, this is – "

"Mine." Ryuu's hand suddenly reached down and fastened the undone button to keep the weapons from falling onto the kitsune. "I let Kagome-chan use it in my world and forgot to take it back." The boy grinned and let him have it. Ryuu smiled in thanks before turning back to Kagome, his eyes carefully blank. "You're not using it anymore, right?"

The miko felt a pang of guilt in her stomach at his tone and shook her head, both to answer him and clear it. _I don't need it anymore – Inuyasha wouldn't let me use it anyway._ She drew her knees to her chest and hugged them tightly. _So why do I feel like… I'm killing a part of myself?_

Ryuu watched her a moment more before climbing up into the tree, her kunai pouch secured in his pack. _I suppose this is the beginning of the end, ne?_

Everything they both worked for was going to be crushed.

* * *

Ryuu laughed joyfully as he dodged "Sesshomaru-teme's" poison whip for the fifth time. Ice blue eyes were slit and dangerous as he watched the pristine white youkai for his next move, rejoicing in the opportunity to fight a worthy opponent. The inu reminded him of the wise Gobi-no-Houko, just as Shippo reminded him of Naruto. The nostalgia was welcomed in this boring era where everything else seemed to go wrong.

"Pay attention to your opponent." The smooth tenor snapped Ryuu's attention back to the fight and a feral grin spread over his face.

"As you wish, Sesshomaru-sama." The dragon shinobi drew his katana, settling into an easy stance where he could judge the taiyoukai's skills. "I truly am looking forward to this battle, though – judging from the condition you beat the hanyou into, you're strong than anyone I've fought in a while." Curiosity sparked in hardened gold eyes, bringing another smirk to the shinobi's lips.

"Ryuu-kun, be careful! Sesshomaru is really strong, even with only one arm!" Ryuu repressed a sigh as he heard the worried note in his old partner's voice. In Konoha, she would have never worried about him like that – she would have had faith in his abilities. Now though, almost five months and numerous pointless battles later… she was treating him like she would Inuyasha.

"I thought you knew that I didn't judge strength by physical ability. If I did, I wouldn't have taken you under my wing." The cool glance over his shoulder at the miko seemed to shock her, and his eyes narrowed before turning back to the waiting taiyoukai. "Just let me fight!"

"Ryuu…-kun…" The girl took a step back, her once tuned instincts warning her away from the battleground. What… had she done to make him so angry?

Gold eyes watched them with interest before focusing on the dragon-eyed boy as his power rose. "Interesting." Ice blue eyes narrowed in confusion as Sesshomaru drew his oni fang. "From what this Sesshomaru has seen of the rest of this group, they are extremely protective of that girl, yet you are not."

The shinobi didn't react for a moment before scowling. "Why should I be? She can take care of herself." The immediate defense from when they were in Konoha fell from his lips unbidden, and his grip on the katana tightened as he forced himself to painfully correct himself. "At least, she could before we came back here; now she barely does anything." His stomach clenched as he felt her shock and hurt spike, but his frustration spiked as well – she couldn't deny it even if she tried. "Forgive me if I'm a little less refined now, Milord."

Without waiting for a reply, Ryuu vanished from sight, eliciting a shock from his opponent before Sesshomaru whirled around to block the shinobi's downward strike. A smirk crossed his face as they jumped apart. "Forgiven."

Kagome stood back watching them become white and black blues dashing across the clearing. Some yards behind her, Sango and Miroku tended to a half-dead Inuyasha as Shippo watched Ryuu with wide green eyes. The miko could only wonder why he was so angry with her. Sure, she stopped fighting as much, but she didn't need to anymore.

Ryuu black-flipped away from the taiyoukai and threw four senbon at him, wondering how the one-armed man would deflect them. Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed as he twirled Tokigen around his fingers quickly, creating an arc to knock away the projectiles. "Poison-laced weapons? Those will not work on me."

Ryuu grinned. "All the better!" He charged in again, taking out his frustrations through the fight. How dare she? How _dare_ she? She mocked everything he put her through, everything they worked for, by throwing it all away! Ryuu pulled out a kunai as he brought his blade down on the taiyoukai, curious about how he would block both. He knew he could – Sesshomaru was more than talented enough to do so – he just wanted to see how.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the incoming blade, his mind racing. Maneuvering Tokigen to protect his left side, the taiyoukai pushed aside Ryuu's katana sharply and knocked away the small black blade in one swift move. "You seem to enjoy attacking this Sesshomaru's left side."

Ryuu jumped back with a laugh. "I'm curious to see how you'll block those attacks, and, if I may say so, you've done very well so far, Milord." The taiyoukai arched an eyebrow at his grin. "If you're worried, though, turn it to your advantage – that's what we do back home."

Sesshomaru watched him for a moment before he smirked. "Very well, then." And the battle began anew.

Shippo slowly came up to the edge of the battlefield to watch beside Kagome. Ryuu was fighting on even terms with Sesshomaru, something not even Inuyasha had managed to do. Naraku always ran away, suggesting that he couldn't either. Sesshomaru held back against Inuyasha, though the kitsune was sure no one else could see it but him, and the one time Inuyasha was able to use the Wind Scar against his brother was because Sesshomaru was surprised.

A loud clash resonated through the battlefield, and Shippo's ears twitched. He glanced up to Kagome to see the worry on her face, but, judging from Ryuu's earlier reaction, he didn't want her to worry about him. The kitsune turned back to the fight, wincing as Tokigen left a gash across Ryuu's arm when the shinobi tried to attack his left side. Ryuu wasn't like Inuyasha refused to be treated as such, even by Kagome.

"Inuyasha, you can't be standing yet! You'll lose too much blood!" Both the miko and the kitsune turned to see Sango try to keep the hanyou on the ground, but the hanyou weakly pushed her away. "Inuyasha…"

The dog-eared man stumbled forward, his hand fumbling for his sword. "Have to stop… he dies… Kagome… sad…" Shippo watched Inuyasha fall to his knees as Kagome ran to him. Inuyasha… Well, he didn't think Ryuu could take care of himself either, where obviously… Shippo turned around again and sat on the ground. They were wrong.

Kagome knelt beside her friend, reassuring him that everything was okay. Ryuu was doing fine in the battle, so he could rest. It was sweet that he wanted to make sure she wasn't sad, but at the pain he was putting himself through, she didn't want him to. She knew that Ryuu still had all of his jutsu, but she didn't know when he would actually use them.

A shocked cry from Shippo made everyone look up at the standstill. Ice blue eyes blinked in amazement before Ryuu chuckled sheepishly. "Uh… Oops?"

Across from him, Ryuu's opponent was staring at his hand in open shock, something uncharacteristic of the stoic youkai. Ryuu stood back, unsure of what this meant for their fight. Sesshomaru was a very formidable opponent, but now… _Well, damn. I can't play with him anymore – he's able to defend his left side now._ The shinobi inwardly pouted as he readied his katana again. "Oi, Sesshomaru-sama, now that you have your arm back, how about we step this up a notch?"

The taiyoukai blinked out of his shocked daze to smirk lightly at Ryuu. "Aa." He used his new left arm to form a poison ship to attack the shinobi. They fought again, Sesshomaru keeping Ryuu at a distance with his whip, then intercepting whatever close attacks Ryuu was able to get in with Tokigen. A smug smirk crossed his lips as they clashed, swords hilt-to-hilt. "It seems the tides have turned in this Sesshomaru's favor."

The shinobi glared slightly before smirking as well. "Heh, that's what you think. It looks like I'm going to have to use my secrets – I haven't had to since I came here." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as they pushed each other back, confused about what the boy could possibly have held back until now.

Ryuu landed several meters away and jumped even further back. His smirk remained on his face even as he sheathed his sword, bringing his hand together and making hand signs. He ignored Kagome's cry of surprise and called to his opponent. "Get ready for this, Sesshomaru-sama!"

Sesshomaru braced himself, narrowing his eyes in confusion. Ryuu's hands flashed through a series of signs that Sesshomaru couldn't distinguish, and the shinobi sucked in a breath. _"Katon: Karyuu Enden!"_

Golden eyes widened in shock for the second time during their fight as a dragon-shaped blast of fire erupted from Ryuu's mouth. "Impossible…" The flames roared quickly through the air, and Sesshomaru tried to jump away, narrowing his eyes again at the heat as he was engulfed.

Ryuu stood back, his smirk still in place as he watched the fire. He knew that the taiyoukai would survive, so he wasn't concerned about his opponent. "Hmph. I haven't used any of my jutsu for too long , _way_ too long, my sign speed has gone down."

A wave of youki flooded over the flames, smothering them as effectively as a tsunami. Ryuu whistled under his breath and grinned at the still pristine taiyoukai. "Neat trick; I hope you have more of them, because I've got a _lot _more where that came from!" Molten gold eyes narrowed as Ryuu's hands began dancing again.

He knew he shouldn't let Ryuu finish his technique, but curiosity held Sesshomaru's blade. What more did this _human_ have up his sleeve? Admittedly, Ryuu held a trace of his namesake in his scent – the smell of unbreakable scales and dangerous steel claws weaving in and out of a normal human's scent – but he was still human. _A very intriguing human._

"Ryuu-kun!" Kagome called out to him, afraid of what jutsu he would use. She wanted to warn him not to, but she felt something in her that she hadn't felt since they met up with her friends, and she called out something completely different than the warning she had planned. "Tokigen's attacks are lightning based!"

Ryuu paused before altering his sign pattern and held out his arm, allowing wind to roar around it. _"Fuuton: Fuuryuudan!"_ He released the invisible gust of air from his arm and whipped it toward the taiyoukai. The shinobi grinned as he saw the cuts appearing in Sesshomaru's clothing form the torrents of wind. "Let's take it back down a notch."

Unsheathing his katana again, Ryuu sent a silent "thank you" to the Kazekage's sister for being so proficient in wind techniques. "Hurricane Blade!" Wind roared around the blade, but, unlike his Fuuryuudan, the invisible blade remained attached to the steel. A grin split Ryuu's face as his eyes shone brightly and his hair danced in the winds he created.

Without warning, the shinobi raced forward, raising the deadly katana above his head and bringing it down with a roar. Sesshomaru winced as the whirling winds cut his sword arm and cheek. Pushing away from each other, the opponents battled for several minutes, each taking small wounds from the other.

Kagome watched the fight with trepidation and wonder. Ryuu was amazing, and the miko found herself feeling the exhilaration from when they were in Konoha. The feeling wrapped around her, reminding her of when they were in Konoha as she watched her partner, and she loved it. Being able to watch a fight between two really skilled warriors wasn't something she could see very often, especially around Inuyasha… Blue eyes narrowed in thought. Why did she suddenly think that?

The fight dragged on, and Ryuu couldn't keep his grin off his face. This… was _really_ fun. "Ne, Sesshomaru-sama, your sword has a big lightning attack, right?" With a slight narrowing of his eyes, Sesshomaru nodded, his eyes narrowing even further as Ryuu shifted his stance, sheathing his katana again. "Then let's test it, shall we? Yours versus mine."

Sesshomaru studied his opponent for a moment before smirking. "Very well. Prepare yourself, Ryuu." The taiyoukai twirled his sword around his fingers. Grasping it to slam it into the ground, he called out the attack. "SOURYUUHA!" A huge, light blue dragon roared up from the earth behind him.

Ryuu flashed through the needed hand seals, ignoring Kagome completely as she called out to him in warning. "_Rairyuudon!"_ Sparks of lightning fell from the clouds before they gave way to the monstrous yellow dragon cutting through the dark thunderheads. Ryuu grinned as he watched the two dragons clash, fighting for dominance.

Kagome called to Shippo, trying to get him to come to her – it was dangerous! _I never thought… Ryuu would risk everything like that…_ Memories of their time in Konoha, fighting against all those enemy-nin flashed through her mind, and she flinched. _What am I thinking? He's always done that…_ Her eyes fixed on the lightning dragons. _Have I really… become so distant that I'm really confusing him with Inuyasha?_

Yellow fangs sank into blue scales and the roar of thunder echoed through the clearing. Ryuu watched in satisfaction as his dragon ate the other one, darkening to a pale green. The single dragon left bellowed a victory cry, dissipating into the sky. "Hm… Does that mean I win, or is it a tie, Sesshomaru-sama?"

The taiyoukai gave a soft 'hn,' sheathing his Tokigen. "We will have to discuss that at a later date. Until then, Ryuu."

The shinobi raised a hand in farewell as Sesshoamru walked away before turning to the rest of the Inu-tachi with a grin. "Well… that was fun!"

"Fun?" Ice blue eyes zeroed in on the incredulous taijiya as she stared at him. "You consider _that,_ a fight to the death with possibly one of the strongest beings in existence, fun? You're insane!" Miroku remained silent by Sango's side, his eyes uncertain. "You could have been killed! _We _could have been killed! Kagome, tell him that being that reckless is suicide!"

Ryuu narrowed his eyes before shrugged. "You think you could speak a little louder? You didn't wake up the unconscious hanyou over there," Ryuu said sarcastically.

Kagome winced and reached for the shinobi. "Ryuu-kun, she's just worried. Sesshomaru is one of our worst enemies, and he's very powerful." Dread began to fill her when he stepped away from her, his eyes blank as they stared at her. "She's just saying you need to be more careful – " She was cut off by Ryuu's sudden glare.

"First of all." Kagome fell back at his dark tone. "Sesshomaru is _Inuyasha's_ enemy, _not_ mine." The profound respect he gained for the taiyoukai during their fight drove him to defend him, just like he had been driven to defend her. "And secondly, none of you have _any_ right to tell me to be careful – I fight the way I want; it's been necessary and kept me alive all my life." Ryuu glared at Kagome, part of him looking for any sign of the girl he trained for that whole year. "You should know that most of all, _Miko."_

Kagome's eyes widened, not paying any attention to the clamoring of her other companions. Ryuu… looked like he did when she first met him, back when he was very suspicious of her. She didn't want to meet that untrusting shinobi again… "What are you saying?"

The shinobi lost his glare only to stare at her dispassionately, making Kagome feel even worse; he was hiding from her now. "You trained with me for a long time, Miko, you should know that a fight like _that,"_ he gestured to the torn up clearing, "isn't going to kill me."

Kagome shuffled her feet, unnerved by his gaze. "W-Well… I do know that, honest, but I can still worry."

"You didn't use to." The miko froze, her eyes trained on the ground. That voice… was the voice he used when taunting his opponents – he _never_ used that tone with his friends, and now… Kagome's eyes widened as she lifted her gaze up to him. This meant he didn't see her as a friend anymore… "You didn't worry because you knew better."

Desperate to prove him wrong, she spoke quickly, trying to keep the tears at bay. "Ryuu, it's not that! I still know better, but I know this world, too!" She clutched her hands to her chest, panic beginning to well up in her as she tried to save their friendship from falling apart in front of her eyes. _But… maybe it already did…_ "I know how dangerous it can be—"

"Do you really?" Anger colored his voice as Kagome shrank back. "You barely fight anymore – how would you know how truly dangerous this place is? Watching the others? Not likely." Ryuu watched her quivering form, doing his best to keep a sneer off his face. "What happened to all the training you forced yourself through, with or without me?"

Kagome paused, her thoughts and shaking coming to an abrupt stop. That… was right. What happened to everything she learned? Somehow, she couldn't stop the reasoning she'd been telling herself since they came back – trying to rationalize her abrupt stop in her training – from spouting from her lips. "I don't _need_ to fight anymore! The others can protect me!"

Ryuu lost the battle with his will and his sneer came through to his face, causing the first tears in Kagome's eyes to fall. "Really? I hadn't noticed." More tears continued to fall at his sarcastic tone as Kagome ignored the others, fighting to stop the flow. "That's rather odd, actually, because whenever _I_ tried to protect you back in Konoha, you adamantly protested. What changed, ne?"

Kagome trembled, but Ryuu couldn't find it within himself to soften his gaze. "In fact, I could swear I remember you specifically saying that you wanted to help your friends once you got back here." He spread his arms, his piercing eyes never leaving her tearful ones. "Look around, Miko-_sama._" She flinched at the spite coloring his voice. "I don't see you _helping_ them at all, despite what I spent a _year_ teaching you." She couldn't hold his gaze anymore as he dropped his arm, and she turned her face away. "….Is it really so convenient for you to slip back into the damsel in distress role that you completely threw _everything_ away?"

Silence was his only answer, angering him. "Nothin' to say? What happened to the girl who would argue with me to Hell and back about this and had the power to back it up?" Her shoulder hunched, but he didn't stop. "What happened to my _partner?"_

Kagome wrapped her arms around herself, fighting harder to control her tears. "You… promised to protect her… to stand beside me…"

Ryuu tried to hold back the spike in his chakre, but didn't succeed completely. "Don't bring that into this. I promised to protect and stand beside my _partner_ – what I see before me isn't my partner." Frost began to form on the grass around him, his wind and water affinities leaking out of him. "All I see right now is some unimportant luggage being dragged around –"

"You can't talk to her that way!" After staying out of whatever was going on between them for so long, Sango couldn't hold herself back anymore and hugged the miko protectively, glaring angrily at the shinobi. "She's already shaken up from watching you fight – she doesn't need you yelling at her!"

"Yelling would have occurred if I raised my voice, which, I might add, I didn't do – I only emphasized a few points." Ryuu turned around to walk away from the clearing and into the surrounding forest. "Oh, and Miko-sama." Kagome shakily lifted her head to watch his back. "I hate people who waste my time." She didn't have to guess to know what he was saying.

Kagome turned and flung her arms around Sango, sobbing.

* * *

Ice blue eyes stared down at emerald ones. "Nani, Kit?" Shippo blushed slightly and shuffled his feet nervously. _After my outburst earlier… Yeah, this isn't surprising._ He sighed, a little sad to have lost the respect that ran thick through the child's veins. "Sorry for my… lapse of control earlier." He heard Shippo look up at him, but he had lifted his head to watch the forest around them. "I'm known for my famous temper explosions should something actually make me that angry."

Ryuu didn't mention how he figured Kagome would have said _something_ about it to them – maybe that was just how disillusioned she had become; she didn't think he could hurt anyone… "It's okay."

"_Hah?"_ Ryuu turned incredulous eyes back to the kitsune. "After that… you just say 'it's okay'? I could have killed someone back there!" Comically waving his arms, trying to illustrate his point, the shinobi only managed to fall off the branch he'd perched on, effectively sending Shippo into a fit of laughter. From his upside-down position, legs and back leaning against the trunk of the tree as he seemingly balanced on his head, the dragon shinobi glared at the fox, stating dryly, "I'm glad that was amusing for one of us."

Ryuu righted himself and attempted to sit as gracefully as possible after the fall while Shippo managed to calm down. "Back to business, shall we?" Ryuu coughed a little when the kitsune snickered. "You said 'it's okay' as if you're used to that sort of thing; do any of the others do that?" He had meant to take the subject away from his own embarrassment, but when he saw the result of his question, he almost wished he was in a tree again just to fall and make Shippo laugh again.

The fluffy tail behind the young demon stopped twitching and lowered slightly, mimicking the sudden slump of the child's shoulders. Those too-intelligent eyes dulled as Shippo's face visibly sagged, like that of a battle-worn old man. "In their own ways. Inuyasha usually throws tantrums worse than yours, calling all of us really mean names, sometimes making Kagome cry." Ryuu's hands clenched into tight fists at this bit of information. Despite how disgusted with her he'd become, he still hated anything that would make her cry. "Miroku hides it until he's alone, then he sits and broods for hours. Sango stares at the stars all night, thinking about her brother, Kohaku."

"So basically, an outburst like mine is normal, even expected." Ryuu sighed, leaning back against the tree. "Still, as a shinobi, I should have better control than that. Back home, if I did that on a mission, me _and_ my team would be screwed, and I'd never forgive myself."

Shippo's ears pricked up slightly. "Was Kagome on your team a lot?"

Ryuu's bark of laughter startled him. "Most of the time, Kagome _was_ my team. We worked so well together back then, and the Hokage, our village leader, sent us on the harder missions because she could count on us. _Now _look." Ryuu threw his arm over his eyes, hiding the emotions shown there. "It's like I don't even _know_ the girl, and she'll probably hate me for what I said earlier."

Shippo stared at him, emerald eyes concerned. Kagome had only sat and watched the fire blankly for hours after Ryuu stormed off and before Shippo sought him out. He was worried for both of them. "Well, I'm sure she'll forgive you if you apologize and –"

"No way in Hell." The blunt statement cut Shippo off, and he stared at the shinobi in shock. "I can't try to take back words that are true – it just isn't who I am." Lifting the arm to rest on top of his head rather than over his eyes, Ryuu stared at the leaves above them. "Still… It's going to be really awkward when… _if_ I go back there."

"Then don't." Shippo yelped, running to hide behind Ryuu's leg where the taiyoukai entering the clearing could only see his quivering tail. Ryuu only turned his head to nod a greeting to Sesshomaru.

"With all due, respect, Sesshomaru-sama," Ryuu threw him a mirthless smirk; "where else do I have to go? I don't know this place."

"Hn." Shippo peeked around Ryuu's knee to watch Sesshomaru seat himself elegantly across the clearing, mimicking Ryuu's pose. "Somehow, this Sesshomaru does not see that inhibiting you much. You adapt well, and you are powerful enough to take care of almost everything that may threaten you."

Ryuu chuckled, and Shippo looked up at him. Even though these two had been battling to the death not even half a day ago, they were relaxing in each other's presence. "I don't know, Tono. If I didn't have my jutsu, I'm pretty sure you would have had me beat – you're an excellent swordsman."

_And the bantering begins._ As a kitsune, Shippo could sense the deeper parts of his companions' souls. Ryuu was finally relaxing, but he was still anxious about Kagome, and Sesshomaru was waiting for something. Given how they interacted, now and during their battle…_ They could be really good friends._

Ryuu set his hand on Shippo's head, gently petting the yawning kit. Listening to the two deep voices lulled him to sleep, and he didn't hear what Sesshomaru had been waiting for the opportunity to ask.

Ryuu stared at the taiyoukai in shock. "You want me to be your _what?"_

_

* * *

_

AN: Heh heh... Hi, everybody! Long time no see! -Dodges pitchforks and knives.- Those things are dangerous, you know?

Alright, so it's been a long time, and a lot has happened. I would like everyone to thank Fluffy Lady for beating down on me and forcing me to update in a timely fashion. (She threatened me about three days ago to get something ready by the end of the month, and I still have a full half-hour to spare. Wahoo!) Also, she beta'd this piece for me, so everyone give her a round of applause!

Fluffy Lady  
Author of Queen of the Kennel  
Lover of fanfiction, InuPapa and SessKag pairing  
Hater of cliches, OOC-ness, Naraku and Kikyou

I don't know when or _what_ I will be able to update next, so please be patient with me. Thank you all for reading and please leave me a review!


	53. Loving My Killer

Loving My Killer

Disclaimer: I own nothing of or related to _Inuyasha_ or _Naruto._

~)*(~

Black hair fluttered in a faint breeze. Sharp brown eyes watched the silky strands fade into the mist around her, and they narrowed as she held out her arm, her hand vanishing. "Can't even see two feet ahead of me through this."

_Of course, that could be from the energy flooding the air._

She stood still for a moment longer before casually drawing the katana at her waist. With a deft flick of her wrist her blade intercepted another, larger weapon with a metallic shriek. "Now that's not nice." Shock permeated the air around her, and a smirk crossed her lips. "Attacking a girl without at least giving her your name. Shameful."

She turned her head to catch her attacker's dark eyes, and she laughed when he darted away with a growl. This could be fun, depending, of course, on whether or not her new sparring partner would continue attacking her, or retreat.

The fog thickened, and a grin split her face. _And here he comes again._ Her katana rose again, catching the giant broadsword mere inches away from her head. "Of course, an explanation as to why the girl's being attacked in the first place would also be appreciated."

The bandaged arm holding the broadsword, now the only part of her opponent visible to her through the cloud, clenched. "Trying to play innocent?"

She laughed, pleased that he would play word games with her. "Me? Innocent? Far from it. I've killed more than I would like, making it impossible for such a ploy on my part. I would just like to know the reason behind this particular attack." She braced her arm and shoved, batting the sword away. "I don't recognize your weapon so we haven't crossed blades before. You're too refined in how you've gone about attacking me for you to be a simple bandit. Why confront me?"

The faint breeze caused by the movement of his sword blew away some of the fog, and she finally observed his face, or rather, what she could see of it. Black hair stuck up at an angle from his head, held in its rats-nest by a forehead protector with four squiggly lines engraved into it. The same kind of bandages that wrapped around his arm covered the bottom half of his face, but she could see the impressions of a scowl beneath them.

"Higurashi Kagome, traveler, I, Momochi Zabuza, am to assassinate you, by orders of the Mizukage." His gravelly voice surrounded her as he faded into the mist again.

Kagome blinked, bringing up her free hand to tap her chin. "Mizukage, ne? Hm…" Her brows furrowed, her lips fell into a frown. "Who is that again?"

A choked sound reached her ears, and she had to force herself not to laugh at him. Poor guy had no idea how ignorant of this world's ways she was. Of course, given his reaction, this Mizukage was someone important she had at one point snubbed somehow. _But who could it have been? I've snubbed a lot of people in this world because of their arrogance…_

The fog dissipated, and Kagome found herself staring at her incredulous opponent. "Who is the Mizukage? Have you been living in a hole your entire life?"

A brilliant grin appeared on her face, and Kagome's eyes sparkled with humor. "Hai!" It wasn't a lie, really. The well was technically a hole. "So who is she?"

"He!" Zabuza glared at her, hefting his sword, which Kagome could now fully see and relate to a butcher knife, to his shoulder. "Mizukage-sama is a male and one of the most powerful shinobi of all the nations."

Kagome chuckled, obviously not afraid in any way. "Is that right?" These people really didn't know what powerful meant, then, because none of men she'd run into over the past months could relate to _that_ guy. _They'd all probably collapse under the pressure of Sesshomaru's power._ "Could you describe him, please? Just a biased judgment of his power isn't going to do anything for me."

Her grin remained in place, despite Zabuza's obvious shock and disdain for her. "It doesn't matter. Now die!"

Metal shrieked against metal as their blades clashed again, and Kagome's eyes narrowed, the humor in them only growing. "I'm sorry, but I can't die yet."

"Too bad, 'cause I'm going to kill you." Her eyes widened when he jumped back and began flashing his hands through various symbols. What the hell was that? She'd never seen anyone else do it—"Water Dragon Missile!"

Kagome jumped away, narrowly dodging the giant water jet that grew out of the lake behind him and flew at her. "That's new…" All her attention became centered on her opponent, and she twirled her katana around her wrist, testing her dexterity with the blade after not using it seriously for so long. "Looks like this could be interesting."

Even with the seriousness of the situation looming over her like the water dragon, Kagome couldn't keep a genuine smile from her face, something that quickly got on Zabuza's nerves. Perhaps she was wrong about the people of this world.

"You do have some power, after all."

And the battle began anew.

~)*(~

"Again, Zabu-kun?"

Kagome grinned at the snarl her question elicited from Zabuza. Really, she never got bored of teasing him. She "crossed paths" with him several times after their first encounter, which left them both with several bruises and cuts, but nothing fatal. No matter how many times they met like this, he was still so easy to rile. "How many times are you going to come and try to kill me?"

Zabuza glared fiercely through his bandages. "As many as it takes for you to die." Kagome rolled her eyes but didn't back down from his challenge in the least.

The battle was heated, and Kagome couldn't stop grinning through strike after strike against her blade sent her skidding backward. She couldn't recognize the energy that Zabuza and everyone like him secreted, but it was powerful when looked at right. _And since I try not to run looking for a fight, it's nice to have someone I can count on to attack me first._ She laughed, taunting him even more, and continued to remain just out of reach from his blows.

It wasn't until she realized he wasn't getting as riled as usual that she realized his plan.

From their last encounters, she knew to stay away from the water—he had far too much control over it, more than she had ever witnessed before in a human, and it was therefore a threat. But as he came at her with a particularly well-aimed slash, Kagome could only dodge onto a lake. _Shit._

Her body hit the water, and Kagome let herself sink before kicking off the bottom. _Damn, damn, damn._ Her senses spread, searching for her opponent so she wouldn't be caught unaware at the surface. This was a stupid mistake that Sesshomaru would have gutted her for.

The blue of Zabuza's aura shown to her closed eyes, a brighter shade in the sea of dark blue that was the water. But he was… _Aw, hell._ Kagome immediately kicked her legs toward the shore. If she could just touch the ground, it would offer more safety than the open water, which _Zabuza was standing on as if it were solid._

Just as Kagome's fingers brushed mud, the water around her churned violently. Her eyes snapped open in shock, and she released a silent scream into the liquid as she was pulled up and away.

"Not so confident now, are you?" Kagome glared at Zabuza from where he stood, arms crossed and smirking, mere feet from where she was encased in a water sphere, surprisingly able to breathe easily. "It's a new technique I learned from Kisame, the Water Prison."

"Very original." Her dry comment led to a narrowing of his eyes, and Zabuza reached for his sword. "Aw, you'd kill me like this? Dishonorably with no way of defending myself?" Kagome made her eyes as large as possible, in a pitiful attempt to make the "puppy-dog eyes" Shippo used on her so often.

He frowned. "You've been enough trouble for me, I don't have anymore time to waste on you." But he hesitated, and that was all Kagome needed.

Her pout morphed into a smirk, and her eyes glowed. It had been so long since she needed to use this power—this curse of hers, but she didn't mind this time. She was in a very dangerous situation, and desperate times called for desperate measures.

Light poured from her skin, pulsing and coiling around her. "Sorry, but I don't die that easily."

Kagome took great joy in hearing the curses Zabuza emitted as her power lashed out, ripping his "prison" to ribbons. For a moment, she hovered over the water, an ethereal being of light come down to the earth on a whim, and her opponent stared in what she could only recognize as awe. A sliver of satisfaction coursed through her at her power of this man's reactions—she hadn't had such control in months—and she almost felt bad for taking advantage of it.

Almost.

The light vanished, and Kagome fell towards him, her sword slicing through the air. Zabuza grunted as he blocked the attack with one of his own. But he never expected her flexibility as she pushed off Kubikiri Houchou and flipped to land on the shoreline.

Pausing, Kagome turned her head to him, finding him watching her again. Her clothes clung to her, obviously showing off the knives and other weapons hidden beneath the silk. Her wet bangs stuck to her forehead, dripping cool water onto her skin. The droplets trailed down her face, tracing her cheeks and lips before dipping onto her neck.

And his eyes followed them until they soaked into her neckline.

"Eyes on my weapon, Zabu-kun." She brought her sword up in a circle, cutting through his gaze, a smirk on her face. "We're not finished."

Zabuza scowled and charged her again.

~)*(~

Kagome breathed evenly, carefully gathering her miko powers into a ball in her soul and focusing it where it was needed. She could feel it working and would have let out a sigh of relief, but she couldn't risk losing the balance of her body as she was consumed in her mind.

It had been a mistake to underestimate that silver-haired pervert. She should know by now that anything with silver hair was deadly, probably dead sexy, and possibly annoying—after all, look at Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and that one silver fox thief she ran into years ago. But that scarecrow didn't have much of an aura, just one flicker of demonic energy from his right eye, so she had become too confident, which was dumb considering her weekly bouts with Zabuza.

The air around her suddenly became chilled, and she grimaced, coming back to her body before she could finish what she wanted. Mist greeted her eyes, the telltale sign of her sparring partner. _Merely think his name as an afterthought, and the devil will appear, oddly enough when I don't want him around. I should stop thinking._

"What can I do for you on this fine, formerly-sunny afternoon, Zabu-kun?" Kagome kept her voice light and teasing as always, but she knew he saw through it. After so many rendezvous' with each other, it was easy to see through her.

Zabuza appeared in front of her with his sword safe on his back, frowning, an action that only deepened when she smiled cheerily at him. Her arms were carefully folded over her chest, hiding the blood she knew he knew was there. His gaze sharpened dangerously, and Kagome kept smiling. If he wasn't going to ask, she wasn't going to tell—two could play the silent game; even if it wasn't really her style, Sesshomaru taught her well.

Minutes past easily, if awkwardly, and Kagome outright grinned when Zabuza caved first. "You're injured."

"And you're wearing bandages." He scowled even more fiercely behind his wrappings, and Kagome held in her laughter. She wouldn't give into his probing that easily. If she did, she may as well let him kill her already.

"Damn it, woman, what the hell?"

Brown eyes blinked, and her grin fell a little as Kagome got a good look at his eyes. Genuine concern hid deep within his dark depths. _Oh_… Kagome slowly lowered her arms, careful not to openly show her shock too much. _Oh._ His eyes zeroed in on her side. _Oh, shit._

"Shit." For a moment, she thought she had voiced her thoughts aloud, but the deep, gravelly tone assured her that she hadn't. He knelt in front of her, just far enough away that they couldn't touch each other. "What happened?"

He sounded so firm, just like Sesshomaru would have, that she answered mostly on instinct, "A silver-haired scarecrow got the jump on me. I was apparently disrupting his mission," before she shut up completely. Information was dangerous, especially to her, and she wouldn't give out anymore freely. "So are we going to do our usual routine of beating each other black and blue, or do I get the day off?" She let her eyes get comically large, trying to detract from the seriousness of her latest stupidity.

Zabuza pursed his lips behind his bandages, and Kagome felt the brick that had settled in her internal organs at her second "oh" get even heavier. Perhaps there were now two bricks. "Fine. Nothing this time, but when I see you again, your life is mine."

And he vanished into the mist, which followed him mere moments afterwards.

Kagome let her hands completely fall, felt the grass, cool from the dew left by the fog, on her skin. The small sounds of animals, birds, rabbits, and whatever other small creatures wandered the forest floor, rose around her, drifting in and out of her ears and proving that he really had gone.

"Shit." Kagome fell back, purposely hitting her head harder than necessary on the ground behind her. "Damn it all to hell." The pain in her side was completely forgotten as she refought all her battles with Zabuza up to date, searching almost desperately for when the dynamic between them changed. When they started caring for each other.

The miko didn't bother sitting back up in the proper meditation pose to finish healing herself, instead sending a rush of power throughout her entire body that healed every sore muscle and bruise as well as the gash in her skin. It left her weak, but she was too confused, too upset to care.

"I can't believe I let it happen again…" Every one of her closest friends had at one point done harm to her, but she couldn't let Zabuza close to her. Couldn't let anyone from this world close to her. If she did…

"Goodbyes are painful." She stared up at the sky, watching the foliage dance in front of it. "I'm not staying in this world. I'm going back. I can't get close to anyone."

Even if she said that, why did that voice in the back of her head laugh and say "too late"?

~)*(~

"You are troubled by something, Zabuza-kun?" Dark eyes snapped up to the speaker, and Zabuza straightened his back. The Mizukage peered at him speculatively from under his wide-brimmed hat, and his comment made Zabuza the center of attention for the rest of the Seven Swordsman of Mist.

"Not at all, Mizukage-sama. Forgive me for disturbing you." _Gah, I really hate being formal._ From the corner of his eyes, he saw Hoshigaki Kisame raise a blue brow with a grin, revealing his sharp teeth, sharper than Zabuza's, but the blue-skinned man didn't bother covering them up.

"Hm…" He snapped his attention back to the child in front of him. Young he may have been, but the Mizukage was not someone to take lightly. His maturity surpassed many full-grown adults, and in this case, his perception was too sharp for Zabuza's taste. "It wouldn't have anything to do with the mission I assigned you, would it? You still haven't brought me the woman's head."

And that was why.

Zabuza made his polite apologies and reassurances as necessary. As he raised his head again, though, he paused. This had been bugging him… "If I may, Mizukage-sama?" The others showed various forms of surprise. He didn't question much of anything often. "Why did you send me after this girl?"

The complete silence suddenly encasing the room told clearly how curious everyone was as to that order. It came out of nowhere months ago, and given their Mizukage's amazing manipulative talents, they believed that he would bring anyone with the power to withstand Zabuza for all this time into his web and keep her there.

The quiet continued for several moments, before the Mizukage waved a hand dismissively. "It is of no consequence, Zabuza-kun. She is a threat to our village that we cannot allow anyone else to ensnare. Should this mean her death to prevent it, so be it."

And that was that, Zabuza supposed. He bowed slightly again and dropped the topic. No one questioned the Mizukage, even if they weren't satisfied with the answers they were given.

Of course, he smirked beneath the safety of his bandage-mask. That didn't mean he couldn't find out straight from the source. Perhaps he needed to have a chat with his favorite target.

~)*(~

Kagome felt the change in Zabuza as their blades clashed. It wasn't the lack of insults and proclamations of death, but he was paying a strange attention to her face, searching. "You know, I'm all healed now, so we can get serious." When he didn't respond, she frowned, throwing him across the clearing. "And not stare at each other as if we hold the answers to life."

"Well, maybe not the answers to life," Zabuza groused as he picked himself off the tree he slammed into. "But you can certainly answer one of my questions."

Jutting her hip to the side in an arrogant pose, Kagome arched an eyebrow. "Really? And what question would that be?" She had been trying for weeks to forget the growing connection between them and make him hate her. It would be easier. Always easier.

It just didn't seem to be working.

Zabuza jumped into the air to slice at her from above, and Kagome blocked, bracing her feet into the grass. "Why was I ordered to kill you?"

Incredulity jumped across her face. "Seriously?" Pushing his giant sword away, Kagome ducked to slice under his guard. His face was serious as he used the broad side of his blade to protect himself. "Okay. I guess that depends on who ordered you to kill me."

"I told you: the Mizukage."

"And I told you," against her better judgment, Kagome allowed some humor into her voice as she dodged him. "I don't know who that is."

Frustration flashed through Zabuza's eyes, and Kagome braced herself for his barrage of attacks. "How can you not know who the Mizukage is? He controls all the ninja of Mizukuni!" Locking their blades together, he sneered in her face. "The single most powerful person in the whole country is a teenage boy who looks like he couldn't smile if it killed him."

Blades screeched apart, and Kagome tilted her head back in thought. "Teenage boy?" She caught the kunai thrown at her. "I didn't meet anyone that young from here… You sure I'm the one you're after?"

"A little late to be asking that, isn't it?" Kagome tensed at the much darker, more animalistic voice from the trees above them. With deft movements that left Zabuza snarling, Kagome distanced herself from both her normal opponent and the possible new one.

Zabuza glared up at the tree. "What the hell are you doing here, Kisame?"

Well, they obviously knew each other, and that was probably a bad thing for her. "You've mentioned that name before…" But even if it was bad, she couldn't give that away so easily, so she tapped her chin. "He taught you something before… the water prison-thing."

Eyes sharpening as the man dropped to the forest floor, Kagome took in his appearance. He was by far the strangest person she had seen as of yet, but that didn't account for much considering who she interacted with in her own world. Blue skin with gills and small, beady yellow eyes, "Kisame" grinned at her, revealing slightly stained rows of teeth, like a shark's. "She's a pretty thing, isn't she?" And the giant sword on his back positively radiated malevolence. Beneath the anger and need to inflict pain, Kagome shuddered at something familiar.

Zabuza pointed Kubikiri Houcho at him. "She's my kill."

A vein in her temple twitched at the claim. "I'm not a piece of property, Zabu-kun."

"On a nickname basis, are you?" Kisame glanced suggestively between them.

A shout of dismay rose from Zabuza, and Kagome pouted playfully, but she never took her eyes off of either of them. If they decided to team up, not that she thought Zabuza would after all the time he put into killing her himself, but on the off chance that they did, or that Kisame attacked her by himself, she wanted to be ready. Her free hand dropped to her side, fingers coiling in preparation for the whips Sesshomaru was so proud of. Her control was never the greatest, and this was certainly not her most comfortable setting, but it would be something. She hadn't had to use them while in this world, so hopefully her control wasn't so terrible that it would end with a death.

A pulse of hunger from Kisame's sword, which she could see was wrapped very carefully now that he had his back to her, made her tense as Kisame paused. Her shoulder blades came together even more when he _listened_ to it. The whisper she could register only in the back of her mind was clear as day to him.

Zabuza stepped back slightly when his fellow Swordsman arched an eyebrow, his grin spreading to show more teeth. "Well, that's interesting. Samehada here says that she's not normal." He turned around, his eyes taking in everything that she was for the second, maybe third, time. "Are you sure I can't have a bite?"

The innocent wide eyes she directed at them didn't work as the sword pulsed again, more urgently. "I don't think I'd taste very good, Fishy-san." She could see Zabuza's eyes take in her tension, the tight grip on her sword. "But if you guys want to talk, Zabu-chan and I can finish our spar later."

With a shrug that was supposed to dismiss them while setting her arm in the position to sent a wave of energy at them through her sword, Kagome waited. Her pacifist nature allowed for her battles with Zabuza, but the familiar sense of something told her that if this Kisame came at her, one of them would end up dead. _Please don't attack. I don't want to kill. Please don't attack._

Tense moments of staring at each other passed, and Kagome held in her sigh of relief when the sword, Samehada, quieted down, withdrawing its challenge from her. "Heh." Kisame pulled his hand away from Samehada, giving her a grin full of fangs. "Be grateful for small mercies, Girly. I would have loved to see how sweet you are."

Scratching the back of her head, Kagome froze for a mere moment. Youki. That familiarity from Kisame. It was youki. She watched him a little more closely, drew out her words, wondering if he would understand their significance. "I'll be sure to add thanks in with my prayers to the gods."

Sure enough, Kisame's eyes widened, his grin grew. "Is that right?" They both ignored Zabuza's careful curiosity and just hold their gazes strong. After several moments, Kisame shook his head and turned away. "Send a prayer up for us, too. Maybe the gods will listen to you more than they would us."

"Will do." Kagome twirled her sword over her fingers, slipped it back into its sheath as Kisame disappeared. "I think that's it for the day, Zabu-kun." Watching him, she saw his lunge clearly and flipped away. "Well, _I'm_ done for the day, anyway. You can keep striking at air if you want."

"What was that about?" His heated tone made her pause. Strands of black hair fell over her face as she tilted her head to the side, curious eyes roving over his scowl. "You two were staring at each other for five fuckin' minutes. What the hell?"

A smirk twitched at her lips, and Kagome flicked a lock of hair over her shoulder. Oh, this would be fun. Teasing Zabuza was, after all, one of her favorite past times. "Jealous, Zabu-kun?" His scowl morphed into something far more fitting of his nickname "Demon of the Mist," and Kagome only laughed because she was used to real demons. "Well, don't worry." She focused her energy to cloak her long enough to get away from him. "You're the only one I'll let kill me!"

Her laughter followed her own disappearance, leaving Zabuza to curse at nothing. He didn't need to know that seeing Kisame thrilled her, terrified her, and made her want to cry of yearning for another world.

~)*(~

The stars were bright in this world. Why Kagome decided to flop down on the beach and stare at the night sky rather than find a good tree to sleep in, she didn't know. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but she realized it was just making her more homesick. On good nights, back with the others, she would explain the constellations to Shippo and tell him the stories behind each one. His eyes would grow wide as he followed her pointing fingers to trace the outline, and off to the side, closer to the fire, Sango and Miroku would listen curiously. Inuyasha would pretend not to be interested, but his ears would flick toward her when she reached the climax of each story.

None of the constellations she knew were here, though.

Kagome sighed, folding her hands behind her head. She wondered if the ninja swarming this land took the time to make stories for the constellations, or if they were too focused on their own lives and battles. "It's almost sad, really…"

Only silence responded, but she wasn't surprised. She didn't expect her visitor to reveal himself so easily. It'd be boring, but then she wouldn't look like she was talking to herself. "Mah, that's okay." She was thought to be crazy, anyway—just ask Zabuza.

A flicker of an aura skittered across her awareness, and Kagome tensed. Dark, thick, poisonous, it felt almost like Naraku.

Remaining on her back, Kagome closed her eyes. She'd felt this aura before. Once in this world, and it wasn't pleasant. Before she first fought Zabuza. Reeking of bloody power.

"The Mizukage, ne?" The flicker cut back across, away, and Kagome frowned. "Most powerful person… a teenage boy, Zabuza said. Ordered my death." She opened her eyes again, staring up at the stars again, looking for answers. "Doesn't feel like a teenager to me. Far too old and cynical."

Her guest retreated, and Kagome sighed again. "I wonder how the guys at home are doing…"

~)*(~

She could honestly say she hadn't expected to see Kisame again. But here he was, nonetheless, just over a month later, blue skin, gills, yellow beady eyes, and all. And she didn't fear him anymore, didn't worry about him attacking her. He knew what she was, now. He knew better than to kill her. He was part demon. Somewhere in his ancestry was a demon, and she could destroy that easily.

So Kagome didn't do anything as he sat down beside her, setting his starving sword beside him. "What can I do for you, Kisame-san?" He wouldn't attack her, but he could try to get something from her, and she didn't want to leave anything of herself behind in this world when she left… if she left.

He shrugged, flopping onto his back. "Nothin'." And that was a big lie. Right up there with "Miroku is an honest and chaste monk." Kagome rolled her eyes, but didn't comment. If he wanted to be difficult, fine. She could wait him out.

The clouds rolled over them, and the lake in front of them reached for them with easy waves. It was peaceful, and Kagome could even enjoy the faint pulse of youki beside her. The familiar hum comforted her for a few hours, until Kisame's rough voice brought her back to reality. "Mizukage-sama is getting irritated. If Zabuza doesn't kill you soon, he'll order me or one of the others to kill you both."

Kagome nodded. She'd actually been thinking about that since she realized they were getting attached to each other. After exhausting every possible route back home, there were only a few things left for her to try, and one she didn't want to.

"I'll deal with it." Kisame turned his head to face her, but she didn't meet his gaze. "I'm not going to let him die for something that shouldn't exist in this world in the first place."

He kept his eyes on her, but eventually nodded slowly. "I leave it to you, then." With a last pulse of youki and Samehada, he vanished.

Kagome drew her knees up to her chest, set her chin on them. It would take more courage than she thought she had to follow through with her last option, but it would save more than just herself. Maybe it would save Zabuza, too.

~)*(~

Kagome grinned as she caught three of Zabuza's kunai out of the air, but the true satisfaction of the fight didn't reach her eyes. Zabuza, on the other hand, seemed to genuinely enjoy their spar. His irritation from the beginning was definitely gone, and Kagome almost winced at it. It would be easier if he still hated her.

"Something the matter, Girly?" He appeared before her in a sudden movement, slashing upward with his cleaver. A deft flip of her wrist sent his attack wide, and she slipped one of the kunai along his arm, tearing through his bandages, and leaving a line of red along his skin.

She jumped away, twirling another kunai on her finger. "Apparently not. First blood is mine."

With a slight glare at her, Zabuza charged again, one hand flipping through hand seals. Jets of water shot from the river beside them toward Kagome, and she twisted her spine to dodge one, slash through the second, and throw the other kunai at the last two. Her spin ended with a loud clash of metal against metal of her katana meeting Kubikiri Houcho.

Their faces only inches apart, Kagome stared into his eyes, searching for something. A resolve to kill her that she remembered from the beginning. But his dark eyes, haunted and bloody as they were, were clear and even happy. But there was a wariness there, rising the longer they were at a standstill and Kagome didn't taunt him.

Breaking away, Zabuza reached out to grab her blade. Kagome's eyes widened, and she tensed, bringing her precious defense out of his grasp and across his chest. Another line of crimson appeared there.

He stared down at it for a second, then brought his gaze back up, an eyebrow arched in challenge. "Second blood. Not fair, don't you think?"

Kagome responded with her usual smirk and a shrug. "If we were concerned about fairness, you shouldn't have trapped me in that water prison before."

Zabuza scowled, readjusting his grip on his sword. "Never going to let that go, are you?"

Another shrug, and Kagome leveled her katana with her shoulder. "Keeps a distance."

She knew she said the wrong thing when he didn't attack immediately. Their gazes locked for a long moment. Whatever he saw in her, a difference that he hadn't expected, Kagome didn't know, but she let him charge her again, more fiercely than before, and parried him with simple blocks.

No more taunts flew back and forth, and Kagome kept one arm hanging loosely at her side. The point of this fight was different than the others, but she couldn't rush it. Following through with this too quickly would ruin everything, and they'd likely both end up dead at the hands of the other swordsmen she heard rumors of. The rhythm of the battle—it had ceased being a spar the moment Zabuza recognized a difference—sped up, and Kagome began getting closer, fighting back again.

Urging him on to harder strikes, deadlier slashes.

Shrieks of metal, surface lacerations, grunts of frustration and pain filled the clearing, until there was a solid thunk of a sword piercing a tree.

And a strong thrust.

Blood began filling a lung, and Kagome coughed. Her sword lay on the ground feet away, behind Zabuza. Kubikiri Houcho extended from her chest, gleaming in the dim light of the fog, blood trickling along its edge.

"Why?" Zabuza's voice was thick, rougher even than normal, and he stared at her, demanding an explanation. "Why did you—"

"Drop my sword?" Kagome smiled around bloody lips. "Let you stab me?" Her eyes were growing heavy. "I'm homesick, Zabu-kun." So she closed them, stared at the darkness of her eyelids. "And I couldn't let you die for not killing me."

Anger made Zabuza twist his grip on the hilt, sending pain through her, an attempt to keep her conscious. "What the hell are you talking about? I wouldn't die." But they both knew he couldn't be sure of that. "You…"

He couldn't finish, and Kagome felt so much sorrow from him. Despite her best efforts, they were connected on some level. He would mourn her passing, and she would mourn him, too. It was only fair.

The blood loss was getting to her, and Kagome felt the world spinning, going Dalmatian-spotted even in the dark. Trying to speak brought about another, more severe cough, and Kagome her eyes again. "I enjoyed our little fights… Let's do it again sometime."

And Zabuza yanked Kubikiri Houcho from her. She didn't remember hitting the ground.

~)*(~

"Pathetic brat…" And he really was pathetic, the boy crouched at the bridge railing. Ratty hair and clothes too thin for winter and too small for his frame. But he still met the gaze of a killer easily, and his lips turned up.

"You have the same eyes I do." A brilliant smile, molten brown eyes with a glint of steel. So damn familiar.

"Brat… Do you want to be needed by someone? Are you willing to give everything for me?" The tiny boy nodded, never taking his eyes off him. "From now on, your power belongs to me." Zabuza saw a brilliant light flood his eyes, and he couldn't help but remember her eyes, still open when he dropped her head at the Mizukage's feet.

But that wouldn't happen this time. He set his hand on the boy's head, sealing the promise with himself. "Come with me."

~)*(~

"Kagome!" Shippo's voice echoed from above her, and Kagome struggled to make her eyes focus on the bright teal of the kitsune's. "You're finally awake!" Distantly, she heard the others' voices, clamoring to reach her. "You were asleep for a really long time."

Kagome smiled faintly at him, watching him bite his lip. Shippo must have been so worried. "I'm okay now. I promise.

"I'm home." _Goodbye._

* * *

__AN: And I have miraculously risen from the dead for a short period of time. ^_^ (puts up fire-shield against all pitchforks, knives, flames, and all other possible weapons of death and destruction aimed at me) Yes, yes. It's been a long time. Longer than I expected, but ya know what? I love you all, but real life is calling, and I can't do a lot about that. I apologize (kinda), and I hope you all are willing to bear with that for a while. I'll try not to make any promises that will most likely be broken. That being said, I'm not promising any updates on anything for a while. I'm sorry. For now, I hope you enjoyed this (I'm a little if-fy about the ending, but otherwise, I really liked writing this, even if it took me for. ev. er.

Thank you all for reading!_  
_


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